The Exiled Prince
by princebejitasama
Summary: 15 years after Buu's demise, Vegeta finds himself, once again, longing for his past. Sacrifices must be made whilst walking the path of Exile. How far will Vegeta go to become the strongest? What challenges and threats will present themselves?
1. Prologue: A Self Imposed Exile

((NOTE: I, as a fan of Dragonball Z, was left rather unsatisfied by the events of Dragonball GT. The following fanfiction was written by myself with input from others who also disliked the GT franchise. [Names can be provided of others involved upon request.]

This story involves original characters created by other people. I have obtained permission to use them from the creators, and have written them into the following tale. More information regarding these original characters will be provided upon request. Please forgive any spelling or grammatical errors, this has not been proofread thus far. All feedback is welcomed. Enjoy!))

**PROLOGUE:** A Self Imposed Exile.

The Prince stood alone on a high pinnacle of rock, his dark eyes staring down over the steep cliff face into the valley below. Monstrous storm clouds surrounded the mountain top and torrential rain turned everything into a dull, blurry haze. Forks of white hot lightning splintered the peak, but this raging tempest was nothing in comparison to the storm rattling through the Prince's mind.

It had been little over 15 years since the terror of Buu had been eradicated, and Vegeta had slipped back into his life of peace. Up until recently, this hadn't bothered him in the slightest, but a gnawing doubt had begun eating away at his mind. He often had vivid dreams, flashbacks to the day he had made his ultimate sacrifice, and they bothered him. "If I'd remained the proud warrior I had always been, and not become one of 'those people' (as he called the Earthlings), nothing would have stood in my way." This thought had run through his mind at such repetition it had been as though it was a skipping record.

As Vegeta glared down into the valley bathed in shadows, something clicked in his mind. "I have to get away from this life of normality and dull repetition. I need to be the way I was before. And I need to make the decision myself." He was referring, of course, to when Babidi invaded his mind and awoke the evil in his heart. The Wizard's plans to turn Vegeta into one of his thralls had backfired, the Saiyan's pride and love for his family allowing him to keep control of his actions.

But now... Did he love his family? Bulma, Trunks, Bulla... No. Of course he didn't. The only thing a Saiyan loves is battle, victory, strength. He needed to leave, to escape, to be free. A warrior needs nothing but a purpose to serve and opponents to destroy. This warrior's purpose was plain and simple: To be the best. Opponents? Well, that was easy: Kakarot.

The low-level clown had been the bane of his existence ever since he set foot on Earth, so many years ago. He'd been shamed and humiliated by the Earth's hero on many occasions, and in more ways than one. Goku had not only proven himself to be a stronger warrior than he in combat, but he'd also saved Vegeta's life, as though the Prince of all Saiyans were a helpless child. "Not anymore..." he said aloud.

A strong breeze kicked up around Vegeta as the Saiyan's blue aura exploded into life. The clouds above began to swirl, the very mountain shaking as though in fear. "No more of this worthless existence... I am a warrior Prince, and it's about time I acted like one!" The cliff face shattered into a million fragments of broken stone as Vegeta leaped from the mountain and shot like a rocket into the distance. The dark storm clouds above parted as he flew, seeming to make way for the Prince.

The sun's first light crept over the low hills surrounding West City, the windows of the dome shaped Capsule Corp building transforming into a bright orange glare. Fresh dew sparkled on the well manicured lawn, giving the impression that millions of tiny diamonds glittered from amongst the grass. The pink and orange sky was unblemished, save for a few tawdry wisps of cloud which gave no indication to the violent storms to the east.

A handful of cars zipped along the motorway, but otherwise, the city was quiet. A few hours would change that of course, when the citizenry moved about their daily business. The city would become a bustling hive.

In the skies, a bright speck of blue light glimmered over the horizon. The sleeping inhabitants of West City paid no heed to this, as they were yet to rise and begin their morning routines. As the light moved closer, it appeared as a human form, a long tail of blue aura trailing about behind him. Within moments, the Saiyan Prince had touched down in the yard of Capsule Corp.

Vegeta strode across the lawn, moving towards the row of ships in the far corner of the property. During his flight, he had made up his mind. He wouldn't just leave town. He'd leave Earth. Although he didn't want to admit it, challenging Goku right now would be folly. The Earth-raised Saiyan's power far eclipsed his own, and after years of training with Uub on Kami's Lookout, Goku's strength was now enormous.

More than ever, Vegeta now cursed his weakness, his decision to become a family man. If only he'd trained as hard, perhaps he could have eclipsed him by now. But no matter. He would move forward from here.

Choosing a ship to his liking, the Prince lowered the ramp and ascended the steps. When he took his seat, a computerised voice filled the cabin. "Greetings, Traveller, and welcome aboard Capsule Corp Vessel 3724. Where would you like to go today?" A slightly disgusted look touched Vegeta's face at the voice and it's polite tone. "Far away." He muttered.

A series of beeps and whirs. "Planet Farraweigh. Estimated arrival time, 4 Days." The ship said smartly. "Warning: Inhabitant Hostility suggests this planet is unsafe for exploration." The corner of Vegeta's mouth twitched upwards in a smile. This was a good start to his exile, he thought. "Take me there immediately." He demanded, sitting back in the chair.

Four days passed extremely quickly for the Prince as he trained harder and harder to reach new levels of strength. When he reached the planet Farraweigh, it took him less than 5 hours to eradicate every life form on the planet. Not a trace of civilisation was left. The story was the same with the following planet. And the next. And the next.

Sometimes, Vegeta was content to simply fight and destroy the strongest of the race. But more often than not, he left no soul behind. After a year of constant fighting and destroying, he began to grow tired of it. He hadn't had a decent challenge at all; all of these warriors were pathetic. Indeed, he thought so little of the Shambalan race, he detonated the planet from orbit, taking 100,000,000 lives in the process.

On a remote world, Vegeta thought perhaps he'd get his challenge. The reports on the planet said it was a violent world, filled with barbarian inhabitants whose bloodlust was insatiable. But, to Vegeta's great disappointment, he found nothing there. The planet had been stripped of life hundreds of years previously, only bulky bones and shattered remnants of the forgotten race remained. On his way back to the ship, Vegeta spotted a grinning skull, its teeth bared as though it had been snarling with rage as it had died. A cracked scouter lay beside it, and it bleeped feebly as Vegeta approached. A few feet away, the body of the Saiyan warrior lay slumped against a rocky outcrop, its armour crumbling and shattered. "Rest in peace, my Brother." He said quietly, turning his gaze from the skeleton and drifting into the skies towards his ship.

Now was the time to return, now was the time to put his new abilities to the test. A year of training at 500 times natural gravity, coupled with his constant fighting had allowed the warrior to reach a new pinnacle in strength. The ship darted away from the deserted planet, and Vegeta leaned over the gravity controls. "Here I come, Kakarot." 


	2. Chapter 1: The Path

**CHAPTER ONE:** The Path.

- Part 1. "Welcome Home". -

Just over a year had passed on Earth since Vegeta's disappearance and little had changed. Few grieved over the moody Saiyan's departure (save Bulma and Bulla). The likes of Goku and Piccolo had seen it coming, although the Earth-Raised Saiyan had hoped that his gut instinct had been wrong. Even when all of his friends had shunned Vegeta for years, Goku had always extended the hand of friendship to his former enemy; Something that Chi-Chi had been furious about.

No doubt, this had been a major contributing factor to the divorce. The daughter of the once wicked Ox-King had never really appreciated Goku's need to train, and had called him a monster on more than one occasion. The couple had been split for several years now, and Chi-Chi had moved away and not been in contact with anyone.

The free time had allowed Goku to become the mentor of Uub, and he had spent most of his time since then training the boy who had been the re-incarnation of Buu. He had also spent a lot more time with his three children, and it seemed as though the family were much closer with the departure of Chi-Chi.

It had been a regular day for Gohan, sorting through mounds of paperwork from dawn till dusk. Now, briefcase in hand, the young man walked home through the quiet village towards Mt Pao where he, Videl and Pan lived together. But then, two things happened simultaneously; Out of the corner of his eye he saw a ship entering the atmosphere not too far away, and he felt an all too familiar energy. One he hadn't felt in over a year. "Vegeta..." he muttered to himself, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "What are you doing back here, I wonder?" That seemed simple enough. Who was the one person Vegeta hated more than anything? Goku, of course.

The Prince of Saiyans stepped out into the grassy pasture he'd landed in, gazing around at the scenery. "Home sweet home." He said slyly, chuckling at his own wit. 'I really should be writing these down' Vegeta thought to himself. "Now... If I were a low-level clown... Where would I be?" The Prince put his senses out, trying to track down Goku's energy. After a few moments, nothing seemed to register. "Don't tell me someone's killed him before I could have the pleasure..." He broke off, sensing another power-level nearby. "Ah. Gohan." With a wicked smile, he took off into the skies, rocketing towards the son of Goku.

"Well, here he comes." Thought Gohan, taking off his glasses and tucking them into his jacket pocket. Just as he placed his briefcase on the ground, Vegeta appeared above him, his blazing aura vanishing as he came to a swift halt. The Prince grinned down at Gohan for a moment before dropping to the ground, landing lightly and folding his arms.

"Gohan, fancy seeing you out here." His voiced was laced with dark humour, something that made Gohan's skin crawl. He hadn't heard that voice since Vegeta had first arrived on Earth.

The Half-Saiyan stood his ground though, fixing Vegeta with a cold stare. "Vegeta, what are you doing back here?" he spat, not taking his eyes from Vegeta.

"That's real nice." He said slowly in a tone of mock-hurt. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you haven't missed me at all." The hurt expression slowly shifted to an evil grin, and Vegeta tilted his head backwards slightly.

"No, as a matter of fact I haven't." He replied with stony coldness. "We were better off without you, so why don't you just jump in your ship and go somewhere else?" Vegeta's smirk faded slightly, his expression becoming more serious. After a few moments of silence, he spoke.

"Where is your father?"

"Why do you want to know that?" Gohan asked, already knowing the answer.

"Oh I just wanted to pop around and say hi, see how he's doing, beat him to death. You know." The sarcasm and derision in Vegeta's voice was so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. Now, it was Gohan's turn to laugh.

"Please." He said, shaking his head. "You're pathetic, you know that, right? You've NEVER been able to beat my dad. And you never will." Gohan reached down and picked up his briefcase. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than listen to your rubbish about how you're the 'Greatest Warrior In The Universe.' Get a new routine, Vegeta. This one's getting old." Without another word, the young man turned and began to walk away.

Rage clouded Vegeta's vision and his hands balled into fists. "Don't you turn your back on me, boy!" he shouted, spittle flying from his lips.

"Whatever." Gohan waved his hand dismissively, still not looking at the Saiyan Prince.

Vegeta's anger had reached a pitch he hadn't felt in years. His fury was palpable. A faint popping sound, and he was right in Gohan's face. The man's eyes widened slightly in shock right before Vegeta's fist was rammed into his stomach. Gohan doubled over, a short gasping breath escaping him. "Watch your tongue, you miserable half-breed rat!" shouted Vegeta, withdrawing his fist and slamming it down onto the back of Gohan's neck.

A small dust cloud kicked up as Gohan hit the deck, a wince of pain issuing from the young Saiyan. "I will NOT be spoken to like this!" Vegeta's leg swept up, with the intent of driving his heel into Gohan's skull. But the boy had vanished, Vegeta's boot sinking into the ground and sending cracks in all directions.

Gohan was standing several feet away, his face dusty, but otherwise unharmed. "Do you really want to do this, Vegeta?" Asked Gohan, glaring at the monster before him.

Vegeta's response was typical. He raised his palm to Gohan, a purple wave of energy shooting from it. Gohan leaped out of the way, the wave exploding into the ground. His eyes fell to the blast below him, and he paid for his distracted moment with a savage kick to the temple. He hit the ground hard, bouncing and tumbling through a small rock formation and crashing through a high fence. Mere moments passed, and the Saiyan was forced to dodge yet another blast from the angered Prince.

"Damn, he's gotten fast." Thought Gohan, leaping away from yet another wave. "I'm going to have to go all out if I want to-"The thought was cut off by Vegeta's knee slamming into his spine. Gohan let out a cry of pain and surprise as he tumbled to the ground again.

Gohan was breathing heavily as he pushed himself to his feet, and he wiped a trickle of blood from his lip with the back of his hand. "Regretting your words yet, brat?" Asked Vegeta, who was standing a few feet away, his arms folded, looking as though he hadn't moved a muscle.

"No... Not at all." Replied Gohan defiantly, taking his fighting stance. "I don't regret true words. Now, I think it's time I shut your big mouth."

Vegeta let out a cackle of mirthless laughter. "Please, Gohan. YOU, shut ME up? I'd like to see you try." A small smirk touched Gohan's mouth as he straightened up, clenching his fists at waist height.

"Alrighty then." Gohan's golden aura erupted around him, his dark hair shifting to golden. "I should warn you, I've been training with the greatest fighter in history lately." He taunted as his energy sky-rocketed. "You might know him, he's my father."

A low growl escaped Vegeta's mouth as he too burst into Super Saiyan. "You won't be thinking so highly of your circus clown of a father when he lies dead at my feet!" Simultaneously, the two entered combat, appearing as no more than flashes of light in the skies to the untrained eye. The battle (which had begun as extremely one-sided) became more even, both warriors landing an equal amount of blows. Eventually, Gohan gained the upper hand.

With a shout, he uppercutted Vegeta through the clouds. The Prince threw his arms wide and came to a halt, two spheres of energy gathering in each hand. He threw both balls down towards Gohan, punctuating the shots with yells of fury. Gohan managed to deflect the blasts with apparent ease, but the true nature of the attack was shortly revealed.

"Final Flash!" Came the shout from Vegeta, a huge pillar of energy blasting through the clouds towards Gohan.

"What's he doing?" shouted Gohan, raising his hands above his head. "Masenko-Ha!" Gohan's wave met with Vegeta's, an enormous explosion erupting as the two attacks met. When the smoke cleared, Vegeta and Gohan were once more locked in a fierce struggle. The two warriors threw mirrored punches, a huge shockwave issuing from their clashing fists, and both of them jumped back, landing on opposing sides of the impromptu battlefield.

"Had enough, Vegeta?" asked Gohan. "Or do I have to take this to the next level?"

Vegeta raised a clenched fist and threw it to the side. His aura erupted brightly as he did so, and he said in a deep, deadly voice "You don't even know the meaning of 'next level'."

Electricity began to coat the auras of Gohan and Vegeta as they ascended past the levels of Super Saiyan. The ground shook beneath their feet, a high wind kicking up dust in two circular patterns surrounding the Saiyans. "You're a pitiful excuse for a Saiyan." Snapped Vegeta. "You're weaker than I thought."

Gohan smirked, letting out a small laugh. "Care to prove that, you're Highness?" He beckoned to Vegeta, and the Prince's face contorted with anger.

"You will NOT mock me!" He threw his arm forward, releasing his Maximum Flasher attack, which exploded all around the young man.

Vegeta grinned darkly, relaxing slightly, thinking he'd taken out the brat. But a sly voice called to him from above. "Looking for me?" Gohan was high above, arms folded, looking completely at ease. "What HAVE you been doing for the last year? Your aim is dreadful."

"Grr... SHUT UP!" he shouted, throwing wave after wave into the air. In his rage, his aim WAS terrible. He was so mad he couldn't see straight. And as Gohan dodged, he moved steadily closer. A fast, straight punch connected with Vegeta's chin. The Prince back flipped through the air, landing heavily on his face. He raised his head just in time to hear Gohan shout.

"Masenko-ha!" The beam slammed into Vegeta's face and he bounced along the ground, crashing into a cliff face and rebounding back. He dragged himself back up again, a tear of blood dripping from his eye. His anger was enormous. He wanted to kill the boy. Rip his half-breed head from his body.

But Gohan had other plans. Whilst Vegeta had blown his lid, Gohan had remained completely calm. He could see clearly, and he could also feel that Vegeta's energy was falling. That last attack had rocked him more than he knew. So, he moved in, pressing his advantage. He brought his knee up into Vegeta's stomach and drove him back into the cliff, blood flying from the Saiyan's mouth. He brought his knee back and hit him with an uppercut, then a straight, then a hook. Vegeta's body slammed into the wall again and again, pushing him further in.

The Prince's golden hair returned to black as he fell limply from the indent in the rock face. Gohan stood over him, glaring down at his unmoving form. "I should kill you." He said quietly, his aura cracking in the air. "And I could. You know I could. But I'm a better man than you'll ever be." Gohan too returned to his normal state, although willingly. "I won't stoop to your level." He turned around and floated away, not once looking back at Vegeta.

- Part 2. "Reflection and Ascension" -

It had been 3 weeks since Vegeta's embarrassing loss to Gohan, and the Prince found himself, once more, standing alone at the top of a high mountain. No storm clouds billowed around him this time, but it was all too familiar. Over a year, and nothing had changed. He had worked so hard to improve, but he was still in the same place (literally) as before he left.

Again, a thunderstorm of confused thoughts plagued Vegeta's mind. Why had Gohan defeated him so easily? How had NOTHING changed? Maybe he was wrong to have left in the first place. Maybe he shouldn't have deserted his family...

No. That wasn't the case at all. They, his family, held him back. His loss to Gohan had nothing to do with who was stronger. Vegeta had made mistakes. He allowed Gohan to get under his skin and cloud his abilities. Never again, though. This new thought gave Vegeta new resolve. He knew he had it in him to eclipse Goku. And he would do it.

The idea seemed like a stimulant to Vegeta. His eyes snapped open fully, and his aura exploded, shattering the mountainside. Yells of concentration echoed around the valley below, the warrior's energy swelling rapidly. It was as though something had snapped into place inside of him, something that had been disjointed and disconnected for far too long. He hadn't felt this way since he had first ascended.

His shouts became more frenzied whilst his aura began bursting wildly at irregular intervals. Vegeta hunched over, his muscles bulging, veins standing out along his brawny arms and his golden hair began to lengthen. Once it had moved down past his waist, Vegeta threw his arms wide and straightened up, shouting to the heavens.

"This... this is incredible!" he yelled, looking down at his trembling hands. "I've done it!" He laughed like a maniac, raising his hands and feeling his long hair. In truth, he was indeed several years later than Goku in achieving this level, but that didn't matter to him now. He had his drive back, and he was back on his game.

His first impulse was to go and challenge Gohan, but no. Revenge is a dish best served cold. He'd torture his wife and child right before his eyes before snuffing the life out of him. His second thought was to track down Goku, but his new found common sense told him that Goku had been training for years at this level. "Bide your time." He muttered to himself.

And so he did. He went under the radar for the next few weeks, training day and night. His abilities increased, and before long, he had mastered the 3rd Level of Super Saiyan power. His heart and pride told him he had no equal. His mind said that Goku was still stronger. So, he continued to train.

Meanwhile, Gohan had told no one of his run in with Vegeta, although he felt his father suspected something had gone on. He feared for the safety of Videl and Pan more than anything. The last fight had told him he could handle Vegeta no problems. But Videl or Pan... Vegeta would crush them and throw them to the wind without a second thought.

All hopes that Vegeta had changed were gone. He seemed every bit the arrogant, sadistic Saiyan he had been when he and Nappa had terrorised Earth. Gohan felt stupid for baiting him, for goading him into a fight that didn't need to happen.

Neither Goku nor his son had known anything of Vegeta's movements of late. He had kept himself hidden quite well. But the fact that he had returned was unmissable, even Tien and Chiaotzu in their lonely training ground on the other side of the planet had felt his arrival. "Tien... He's back. What do you think is going to happen?" Tien's only response was a shake of the head.

Master Roshi was deep in thought about the whole mess. He was so concerned, he'd even forgot to watch his daily aerobics program. Yamcha, who was staying at Kame House, leaned on the window sill beside him. "What's gotten you so down in the dumps?" He asked.

"It's Vegeta." Replied Roshi shortly. Yamcha rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on Master Roshi, you're surely not worried about HIM?" he laughed and waved his hand airily. "If he puts a toe outta line, Goku will smack him back into place. No worries."

A bead of sweat ran across the Hermit's brow, and he paused for a few moments. "No... There's something different about him." He mused in his quavering voice. "His power is wild, untamed. He's changed. I'm not sure if even Goku could keep him in check if he decided to harm the Earth..." The look on Yamcha's face was shocked, stunned.

Vegeta's return had also shaken up his family. Bulma was a lot quieter since his arrival, spending long hours shut up in her study. Almost the complete opposite, Trunks snapped at everyone, even his fiancé Chasity, and if his father's name was mentioned, he was likely to break whatever he had in his hands at the time. Bulla was the only one who seemed oblivious to her Father's return. She had always been "Daddy's Little Princess", and his departure had left her heartbroken. Even after he left, she had still loved him, and spoken highly of him, which had set her at odds with her Mother and Brother. She hated him for leaving, but he'd always be her hero.

The Prince was oblivious to everything going on around him, having little clue just how much of an impact his return had made. He spent days shut up in the ship, training until his body almost gave way from sheer exertion. Each day, he grew stronger and stronger.

A month, then another drifted by, and the Z Fighters lost any immediate fear they had that Vegeta was going to murder them all one by one. All of them, that was, except for Goku.


	3. Chapter 2: A Rivalry, Renewed

((NOTE: As mentioned in the "Prologue" chapter, this chapter refers to one of the original characters: Goku's third child. The character was written as a twin of Goten, and as stated, this character [Chasity] was not created by me. Permission has been granted by the author to use this character.))

**CHAPTER TWO:** A Rivalry, Renewed.

- Part 1. "Light In Darkness" -

"HYAAA!" A loud shout, followed by a thud and a crack echoed through the woods surrounding Mt Pao. Slowly, a tall and mighty tree began to topple, and fell to the ground with a ringing crash. The only person to witness this, was Goku. "That oughta be enough for a while." He said happily, dusting his hands and looking down at the huge tree.

Goku had lived alone at Mt Pao ever since his split with Chi-Chi, the three children having moved out of home a short time previously. But the kind-hearted Saiyan was used to living alone. He'd spent most of his childhood in this very place, fending for himself.

As he returned to his home, he dropped the trunk of the tree next to the well with another heavy thud. A small, sudden frown creased his features, and he scratched his head in confusion. "What was that all about?" he thought in response to the strange feeling he just felt. Was he hungry? No, he'd only just eaten a massive fish he'd caught in the river. Tired? Nope, that wasn't it either.

Was this feeling loneliness? It could be. But that made him more confused. He got a visit from the kids once or twice a week, and he sparred with Uub regularly. He needed someone to help him figure this out. Someone smart. "I know!" he said aloud, his happy smile returning. "I'll go see-"

"-Bulma, you have a call on line 3." Bulma let out a sigh, waving the office hand away.

"Tell them I'm not here." It had been another bad day for the bluenette. She'd been shut up in her office all morning, not taking any calls or seeing any visitors.

"But it's important... It's the-" the office hand broke off as Bulma pressed a button on her desk, and the electronic doors closed.

As she leaned back in her chair, she heard a rapping at her window and jumped in surprise. "Hey Bulma!" Goku's voice was slightly muffled due to the double plated windows, but he still smiled and waved all the same. Bulma placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes with a smile. "Always the same" she thought to herself. She got up from her chair and smiled, shaking her head as she opened the window.

"You know, Goku, we DO have a front door here." She stepped back to make way for him and he hopped in through the window.

"I know!" he responded with his usual grin. "It's just more fun this way!"

"You're such a big kid sometimes." She said with a laugh. He really hadn't changed at all since they first met. "So what are you doing out this way anyway?" She asked curiously.

Goku glanced up to the ceiling and scratched his head. "Um..." Why DID he fly out here? He'd completely forgotten. "I guess... I just wanted to come say hi!" he said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Oh, that's nice!" Bulma sat back in her chair, the smile on her face feeling quite out of place; She hadn't really smiled for days. "I guess it would get pretty lonely living by yourself." Something clicked in Goku's mind. Lonely!

"Wait, I remember now! There's something I wanted you to help me with. You see, I'm a bit confused about something. And you're just about the smartest person I know."

Bulma positively beamed at the compliment. "Well, they don't call me the best scientist on the planet for nothing, ya know!" She gave him a wink and flipped him the peace sign, looking very much like the younger version of herself. "What's up?"

Now, where to begin? "I was at home before, and I thought to myself, 'Hey! I could use some firewood!' So, I finished eating the reaaaally big fish I caught for breakfast and I went out into the woods to find a tree. Anyway, I walked around for a while, because I didn't want just any old tree, I wanted a big one! Because it would last longer." He paused for a few moments, realising that he was rambling. "But that's not important." He said quickly. "When I got back home, I had a weird feeling. I wasn't hungry or sleepy or anything, it was like I was... Well... Lonely. And I don't know why, I see Gohan, Goten, Chasity and Uub a few times a week, so it's not like I'm always by myself..."

She knew the feeling, alright. To be surrounded by people all day, yet feel completely and utterly alone. She'd felt that way ever since Vegeta left. "Goku? Do... Do you think you miss Chi-Chi at all?" She asked tentatively.

Goku thought about it for a moment. "Hmm... No. I don't like being called a monster every second day." His brow furrowed as though in frustration, memories of how poorly Chi-Chi had treated him flooding back. " I DEFINITELY don't miss Chi-Chi."

"Maybe... Maybe you just miss having a woman around?" She mused aloud. "You know, like the affectionate stuff, and just having someone there to ask about your day or someone to talk to." Once again, Goku scratched the back of his head in thought.

"I think you're right." He said with a sigh, flopping down onto the window sill.

Goku was never the sharpest tool in the shed, but he could tell that Bulma definitely felt that way. "Is that how you feel? After..." Bulma nodded, her smile completely disappearing. She didn't feel quite ready to talk about Vegeta yet, even after a year his disappearance still hurt her greatly. Goku seemed to pick up on this in his own intuitive way, and made a mental note not to mention Vegeta to her, until she was ready. "I'm sorry..." He began, but Bulma shook her head and managed to give him a smile.

"It's alright, no sweat." She said cheerily. "Let's worry about you for now." She stood again and walked over to the window sill, sitting down beside him. "I think, we need to find you a date." Goku went slightly red at this proposal.

"Come on, Bulma. I don't know any girls." He said, rubbing the back of his neck and laughing in an embarrassed way.

Bulma leaned forwards slightly, swinging her legs back and forth. "Surely there's gotta be someone out there for you. Um... Well, are there any girls out there you think are nice? Fun to be around?" She was suppressing the urge to giggle. This felt far too much like her school days when she used to play match maker.

This time, Goku thought for a long time. Was there? There were a lot of people he thought were nice and fun to be around. But unfortunately, they were all either men or married women... Actually, no. Not all of them. "There's... You. I think you're nice and fun to be around." His face went slightly redder as he said this.

As did Bulma's. "Oh... Um... I meant... I'm not..." Not what? Not available? Not a woman? Not fun to be around or nice? "Thank you, Goku." She said, looking up at him. "But I meant a pretty young girl, not... well, not me." She gave a laugh and looked away again.

"But you are pretty." Goku said in a tone of disbelief at her words. "And I don't want a young girl. Young girls are crazy."

At that, Bulma let out a VERY girly giggle. What was wrong with her today? "Hold up a minute." She said, raising a hand and looking back up at him. "Are you saying you'd like to go out on a date with me?"

The Super Saiyan felt slightly flustered. He tugged at the collar of his training Gi, almost shyly. "Well, I guess so, yeah! I mean, I've known you practically my whole life, and I think you're a great person. And we have a really good time together..." Goku never really understood the whole concept of romantic love. But this sounded to him as though Bulma was the type of person he'd like to go out on a date with.

"You're right." She said, her bright smile returning. Almost tentatively, she placed her hand on top of his. "I think that sounds like a great idea." A warm, tingling sensation spread up Goku's arm at her touch, and a big grin instantly popped up on his face.

"Great!" he said, somewhat excitedly. "I gotta say though... I'm not exactly sure what I have to do on a date. Should I train?"

Another girly giggle escaped Bulma's lips, and she placed her free hand over her mouth to stifle it. "No, silly!" she chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "You just need to put on some nice clothes and have a good time!" That sounded pretty easy to Goku. Except...

"I don't really have any nice clothes. Just... lots of orange." He tugged at his Gi again and shrugged. Bulma gave him a smile, and replied, "That's no problem! We can go shopping and get you something nice for our date!" She hopped up lightly from the window and winked at him over her shoulder, once again feeling like a teenager. It was odd, how dating Goku seemed to make sense, yet had never occurred to her before. In her current state, she'd even forgotten all about Vegeta.

- Part 2. "Revelations and Reunions" -

It was a typical Sunday afternoon in West City. The streets were still crowded, although the bustling quality had left the populace. Everyone seemed relaxed and at ease. Well, not everyone.

Vegeta had made his way to the city for the first time since his arrival, for the sole purpose of replenishing his food stocks, which had been low for almost a month now. He had always hated the CBD, never being one to enjoy crowded places. But today, he was given a wide birth. His muscular form, scowling expression and generally bad vibe meant people didn't approach him and ask his opinion on the current news, or ask if he caught Mr. Satan's last press conference ("Isn't he just amazing?"). And that was how he liked it.

He'd kept his power level down; not out of fear, but he wasn't QUITE ready to make his presence known just yet. He caught sight of many familiar faces on his outing. Goten and a pretty girl exiting the movie theatre, the midget Krillin carrying a massive stack of boxes and parcels for his wife and daughter, Yamcha and the pig Oolong dragging Master Roshi away from a lingerie store, Tien Shinhan with a gun-toting blonde in a quickly vacating diner (THAT was an odd sight). Only twice did he take a second glance.

The first time, he spotted Bulla walking along the sidewalk, a few bags of shopping in her hands. He watched as she walked past a group of burly labourers, who began catcalling and wolf whistling. Vegeta repressed the urge to blast them into oblivion by telling himself she wasn't his concern anymore; she was part of his old life. But Bulla handled the situation quite well. She strode over to them, right up to the biggest and burliest of the lot, and clouted him up the side of the head once she'd carefully placed her bags on the ground. The stunned worker crashed through a board fence and into the worksite, leaving his chums goggling at the girl as she walked away with her head held high. The Prince's small grin faded instantly when he realised he was proud of his daughter.

The second time, Goku and Bulma made their way out of a men's clothing store, laughing brightly at some unheard joke. Vegeta's face was half hidden in shadows on the other side of the street as he watched the last two people on Earth he wanted to see playfully bump into one another. "Interesting..." he muttered slowly, stroking his chin as Bulma's hand found Goku's before they rounded a corner. "Very interesting..."

A few days later, Goku was once again taking a casual stroll through the woods at Mt Pao. He had his usual happy smile on his face, listening to the birds chirping in the trees. "Well well well Kakarot... We meet again." Came a snide voice from nearby. Goku spun on the spot, his eyes travelling up a small rocky outcrop, to where the voice came from. There stood the Prince of Saiyans, arms folded, wearing his usual arrogant smirk.

"Vegeta..." His usually jovial smile faded from view, replaced with an angry stare. "Yeah... Great to see you."

The smirk on Vegeta's face grew a little wider. When he replied, his voice was laced with derision. "Judging from your expression, you're none too happy to see me. That hurts, Kakarot. After all this time, and you haven't missed me at all." he said sarcastically.

Goku's stare intensified. "Why the hell would I be happy to see you, after what you did to Bulma?" This anger was oddly out of character for Goku. "I thought you'd changed after all these years." He knew Vegeta would turn up eventually, that didn't surprise him at all. What did was the way that seeing the Prince just standing there seemed to agitate him so much.

"Ha!" Vegeta let out a single, mirthless laugh. "I'm a Saiyan, you clown. I can't live this miserable day-to-day existence." His smirk broadened as he tilted his head back in a very characteristic gesture. "I'm better off without the baggage."

Unwillingly, Goku's hands balled themselves into fists. "You disgust me." Goku said in a low voice. "I thought you would have learned after Majin Buu. How could you call them baggage?"

Vegeta shook his head, as though shoo-ing away an irksome fly. "They were a distraction I didn't need. I was becoming weak, like them." His eyes narrowed wickedly. "Like you."

The usually kind-hearted Saiyan's aura began to crackle in anger – a very rare thing indeed. "You're no better than Frieza, or Cell, or Buu. I can't believe you!"

"You seem angry, Kakarot. Something I said?" Without waiting for a response he unfolded his arms and sprung down from the wall, landing lightly a few feet in front of Goku. "Got something YOU'D like to say, hmm?" Goku, however didn't back down.

"Of course I'm angry." He growled, fists shaking slightly as his ki swelled. "For what you did to Bulma... I've known her since we were kids, and you just abandoned her..."

Vegeta threw his head back and laughed again. "The woman was an insufferable know-it-all! Quite frankly, I can't believe I didn't leave sooner."

For Goku, that was the height of irony. "You're an animal Vegeta. I can't believe I ever had faith in you. And if Bulma is a know-it-all, what would that make you?"

This was too much fun for the Saiyan. Goku was furious! He was even beginning to slip into his Super Saiyan state. "It makes me the ruthless Prince of Saiyans I was born to be!" He replied, stepping closer so he was right up in Goku's face. "It makes me free of bonds and burdens, free to be the greatest warrior in history... Care to prove me wrong?"

"With pleasure." In the blinking of an eye, Goku shifted into his Super Saiyan Form, driving a punch right between Vegeta's stunned eyes. The Prince slammed into the rock wall he'd just been standing on and bounced up into the air. As he regained his composure, he let out a laugh.

"There you go, Kakarot!" He shouted, his aura suddenly blazing, hair switching from black to deep gold. "Punch first, ask questions later! How very Saiyan of you! Good to see you still have some Pride left."

"Oh I have Pride all right..." Goku growled, crouching slightly, preparing to spring into attack. He definitely wasn't himself at that point. A ball of golden energy began to generate in his upturned palm. "Something... YOU'LL never understand!"

Before Goku could finish the attack, Vegeta had raised his palm. "Too slow! Let me show you how it's done! Big Bang Attack!" The blue orb rocketed from his palm, forcing Goku to release the energy he'd gathered and dodge. The blast still damaged the Saiyan from Earth, though. His fighting was greatly inhibited by his rage, recalling how depressed Bulma had been for the past year.

The mistakes would be paid for, and soon. Vegeta went on the offensive again, placing his wrists together and firing wave after wave of golden energy towards Goku. These erupted in the air around Goku, which he managed to dodge, before tossing a ball of Ki at Vegeta.

"Bah! Child's play!" Shouted Vegeta, backhanding the ball away as though it had been a moth. Vegeta snap-vanished and appeared beside Goku. He drove the point of his elbow into Goku's side, and the Saiyan let out a shocked cry of pain. Vegeta's follow up kick was blocked, and the two warriors glared at one another. "You'll never get away with this, Vegeta!" Shouted Goku, pushing back and springing away from the Prince.

"On the contrary, I think I will!" Responded Vegeta, mimicking his movements.

They entered into a furious exchange of blows, Goku's technique becoming sloppier with every passing moment. "Something's wrong with you Kakarot!" Vegeta taunted, dodging and weaving away from Goku's wild swings. "You seem distracted... Put out. No... It couldn't be!" He caught Goku's right fist as it swung towards his head. "This is about Bulma, isn't it? You... You're in love with her!" Vegeta let out a wild, manic cackle, and then caught Goku's left hand which had been thrown in a fast chop. "Oh... You really are too much!" With Goku's arms caught, both of Vegeta's feet swung up in a dropkick styled attack, booting Goku cleanly in the face.

Goku flipped through the air several times before crashing into the ground. Vegeta landed beside him, eyes staring down at Goku. "You know, right now, you're not even worth killing. You've clearly lost any ability you ever had and..." But Goku wasn't listening.

He paid no heed to the last comment, knowing how wrong and twisted Vegeta was. Maybe the time had finally come where he'd become as awful as Frieza. Maybe he did have to finish him this time. Not for himself, because that just wasn't Goku. But for the way it was with Majin Buu. He'd simply become too much of a threat to his friends. But was it in him to do it? All of them raced through his mind as Vegeta's monologue stayed in the background.

"... finish you another time, when you're ready to fight." Goku caught Vegeta's final words, and as he looked up, Vegeta's hair had faded to black again. In truth, he didn't want to kill Goku. Neither did he have any intentions of harming anyone. Unless they got in his way, of course. THEN they would feel his wrath.

It was the same old thing, he thought to himself. Trying to prove he was the best. He knew in himself he had the ability to reach the levels of gods. He was the one with the royal bloodline after all.

And despite his taunts and cocky attitude, he knew Goku still had the upper hand, if only slightly. Ceasing his thoughts, he spoke again. "I'd work on that temper of yours, if I were you. It's going to get you killed one of these days."

Several feelings at once swept over Goku at that point, watching Vegeta drift away into the skies. Shame, for losing control like that. Guilt, for not being able to finish the fight then and there. And sadness. Part of him still wanted to call Vegeta... Well, not a friend. But a companion. And he now realised, things would never be the same.


	4. Chapter 3: Caught In The Storm

**CHAPTER THREE:** Caught In The Storm

-Part 1. "Memory Lane"-

"Hello? Earth to Goku? Come in Goku?"

"Hmm? Say somethin'?"

Krillin pulled the hand back he had been waving in his old friend's face and gave him a scrutinizing look. "What's eating you up man?" he asked in a worried tone. He hadn't seen Goku in such a brooding state before.

The Saiyan let out a sigh and looked upwards. There was a lot 'eating him up' right now. But there was one thing behind all of it. "Vegeta." He said after a moment's consideration.

"Vegeta?" asked the midget in almost exasperated voice. "You're not worried about him, surely? I mean sure, I'm worried, but I'm not a Super Saiyan!" He laughed and gave Goku a hearty slap on the back. Goku gave a small chuckle at this, but it was short-lived.

"I'm not scared of him physically. Not really, anyway." He mused. "But, I'm just... Bothered, you know? He was supposed to be one of us. One of the good guys."

Krillin actually laughed at this, although somewhat humourlessly. "Vegeta has always been a bad egg." He stated firmly. "Just, up until recently, he's been a bearable bad egg." Goku half shrugged in agreement, but gave no further indication that he wanted to pursue the topic. So, Krillin changed it.

"Good to see everyone again, right?" He said conversationally, gesturing around the grounds of Capsule Corp. It had been another reunion party, with a fair few surprises involved. Tien and Launch, for one, had turned up hand-in-hand. And even though it had been almost expected to happen eventually by many of the group, they were still thoroughly (yet happily) surprised to see the pair finally together.

Another surprise had come from the recently married Trunks and Chasity. Once everyone had arrived, the bright young Saiyan had told the group that she was going to be a mother. Trunks accepted the congratulations with a shy smile, as usual.

Piccolo was the only one not really participating with the gang. He stood alone, leaning against a tall oak tree in the shade, arms folded and eyes closed. Even after years of being friends with the group, he still found it difficult to converse with anyone, save Gohan.

All except Goku had forgotten their troubles for the day as they all caught up, shared stories and relived "the old days." Bulma had gotten quite a few laughs when she'd produced a very old photo of the original gang. The teenage Bulma with her arms around a blushing Yamcha, Goku and Krillin as children, grinning at the camera, whilst Puar and Oolong seemed to be arguing over some long forgotten disagreement. The only sign of Master Roshi was a turtle shell with a pair of legs sticking out from under them; The old man had fallen over as he'd rushed to take his place in the portrait.

"Yeah, it sure is." Goku finally responded, eyes sweeping the happy faces, and he smiled his first smile of the day. "It really is good to catch up, even if things aren't going so well."

At that moment, Trunks walked over to the pair. "Hey guys, have you seen Chasity around?" he asked. "I haven't seen her in about half an hour." His tone was conversational, but there was a hint of worry in it.

"Hmm... No, come to think of it, I haven't seen her in a while either." Said Goku, rubbing his chin in thought.

Krillin laughed for a moment before speaking. "Ah she'll be fine bro." He said lightly to Trunks. "She's just like her Dad. Disappears randomly without saying a word and then pops back up when you least expect it. So what's it like running Capsule Corp?"

As Trunks began talking about the stresses of being the President of his grandfather's company, Chasity flew casually over the ocean towards the island where Vegeta now resided. For reasons known only to the Prince, Vegeta had chosen to dwell in the very same place he'd first fought the Z Fighters. In his mind, this is where it all began.

He stepped out of the ship into the bright sunshine, letting the warmth hit his bare torso for a few moments before pulling on his usual blue tank top. Something was coming. He glanced skyward, his hands balling themselves into fists. Who could it be? Who would be stupid enough to come here?

After a few moments of thinking, he worked it out. "Chasity?" Kakarot's daughter. And, from what he could tell, his new Daughter In-Law. No doubt she was coming here to tell him off about his fight with Goku, for leaving Bulma, for abandoning his family. Well, he'd set her straight, alright.

But the girl had no intentions of doing such. She flew over the shoreline, locking on to Vegeta's very specific energy signal. It was unmissable. In moments, she would arrive.

"Hello? Vegeta?" She called, landing in the sparse clearing where Vegeta's ship stood. Of course, there was no response. Just the wind whistling through the trees. She grinned to herself as she decided another tactic.

"Veggie-Kun!" She called in her high, clear voice. The Prince had always hated that damn nickname. That would get under his skin. Sure enough, Vegeta's teeth ground together as he stepped out from behind a tree.

"What are you doing here, Chasity?" He said angrily, glaring across at the girl.

Chasity simply rolled her eyes. "Well Hi Vegeta, nice to see you too. It sure HAS been a while, hasn't it?" He's such an old grump, she thought to herself.

"It most certainly isn't nice." Spat Vegeta, in no mood for Chasity's sarcastic manner. "If you're here to tell me off, or try and tell me I have to go back to my family, you may as well just-"

"Cut the tough guy routine for a minute, would ya?" She cut over him exasperatedly.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed and his fist twitched. "Why you-! How dare you! You best watch your tone missy, or I'll-"

"What?" She said, cutting over him again, taking a step towards Vegeta. "Blast me into oblivion? Send me to another dimension?" She raised her eyebrows with a defiant look on her face. The Prince glared at her for a few moments, before turning his back and looking away.

"What do you want, Chasity?" He asked quietly, slightly looking over his shoulder. "I'm in no mood for your childish games." He was more annoyed that she had called his bluff than anything else. Now he just wanted her to say what she wanted to say and leave him alone.

Chasity looked at him for a few moments, then took a breath. "I wanted to know..." She said slowly. Now that she was here, she found what she had to say quite difficult to spit out. "If you preferred the name Darcy, or Hope?"

This stumped Vegeta so much that he forgot that he wasn't supposed to be looking at her. He turned around, a horrifically confused expression on his face. "Darcy or... What name? What for?" Surely she didn't mean...

"I wanted to know your opinion, on the name we were going to give your granddaughter." Vegeta's mouth fell open in surprise. Whatever he'd been expecting, it wasn't this. An old memory drifted back to the Prince.

He was sitting at the table in Capsule Corp. Chi-Chi and Bulma were discussing the twins on the way, and talking about names. "I like Goten for a boy." Agreed Bulma, nodding. "And I think Chasity is such a sweet name for a girl!" At that point, she'd looked around at Vegeta. "What do you think? Chasity and Goten, got a nice ring to it!" Vegeta had responded that they could call them both Nappa for all he cared, at which the two women had exchanged identical looks and rolled their eyes.

He shook his head, as if to clear the memory from his mind, focussing on this new revelation. "My... Granddaughter? You mean you and Trunks..." Another shake of the head. "Why the hell should I care?" He spat, swiftly becoming agitated.

This statement had annoyed Chasity greatly. She didn't expect him to jump for joy. But that response... "What happened to you?" She said angrily, stomping her foot slightly as if to punctuate the question. "You're not the Vegeta I know!" Angry tears formed in her eyes, and that expression brought back another memory.

A 10 year old Chasity stood in front of Vegeta, telling him how Goten and Trunks had pushed her into a tree and flown off without her when they'd been out playing. "Don't worry." He said, kindly ruffling her hair. "I'll sort them out."

He snapped back to reality, the adult Chasity now giving him that same expression. And for the first time since his return, he felt truly guilty. He shook that feeling away pretty quickly, though. "The Vegeta you knew is gone." He said defiantly, not meeting her gaze. "That Vegeta was a lie."

"So basically what you're saying is..." She said, placing her hands on her hips. "The Vegeta that used to take the three of us out, that used to look after us, cared about us, the Vegeta we know and love... He doesn't exist?" She didn't care if she was annoying him anymore. Part of her wanted him to get angry, so she could give him a good hard punch squarely between the eyes. "And all we've got now is this arrogant, miserable, mean, cheap replacement?"

More flashbacks, in quick succession. Driving to the park, a day out at the amusement park, rescuing the tricky trio from the Gravity Machine in his ship. His memory seemed to be taunting him. He turned his back on Chasity again and walked a short distance away, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Well?" Chasity called moodily to his retreating back.

Time to be honest with yourself. You miss them. He let out another sigh, placing his hand on a tree. "Call my granddaughter 'Hope', and there'll be hell to pay." Unseen to Chasity, the Prince had a very small, unbidden smile on his face.

The girl, meanwhile, had a grin of her own slowly spreading across her features. It hadn't taken her long to get him to open up, even just a little. But why shouldn't she be able to? He'd practically been her father growing up, seeing as how Goku had been, well, dead.

She practically bounded over to him, standing in front of him. "Well, that was just a second idea, really." She said jovially. "We'd practically already decided on Darcy."

"It's a good name." He said, not lifting his gaze, but continuing to keep that small smile on his face. "Not very Saiyan, but not too bad by Earth standards."

Chasity laughed and gave him a playful push. "There's nothing wrong with Earth names, Veggie-Kun!" she teased, getting a scowl in response from the older Saiyan. "Oh!" she said, remembering she had something to give him. She dug in her pockets, withdrawing two photos. "Thought you might like these!"

Vegeta glanced down at the pictures thrusted into his hands. The first was what appeared to be a scan of his future granddaughter. The other was a picture of Trunks and Chasity on their wedding day, smiling brightly at the camera. He smiled at the images, part of him wishing he could have been a part of what had obviously been a day to remember.

"You know..." Chasity said slowly, feeling as though she was pushing her luck. "We're having a party at Capsule Corp today. Everyone's there... I'm sure they'd all like to see you again."

At this, Vegeta let out a humourless chuckle and gave her a "you've got to be kidding me" look. "No one wants to see me." He said, shaking his head. "This changes nothing. I'm not one of the 'good guys', and I never will be again."

Her hopeful smile faded at his words. "That's not true. I know you. This," she gestured around the bare clearing, "isn't you. You're a good man. I know you are."

Vegeta merely shook his head again. "No. This is my choice. I'm not going back." The Prince laid a hand on her shoulder, his face almost apologetic. "I've shown I don't belong there. I've made my decision." He gave her shoulder a small squeeze before letting go. The wind sighed through the branches of the lonely wastes, and Vegeta turned his back on Chasity. "You're just going to have to accept that." He said quietly as he walked away, back towards the ship.

Chasity's heart sank as the man she had once considered a combination of father and friend walked away. Why did he have to do this? It would be so easy for him to admit he was wrong and come home. But she wasn't taking into account his pride. His damnable Saiyan Pride.

The girl lifted into the air, wiping a small regretful tear from her eyes, not looking back. If she had looked back, she would have noticed one very small positive action. As Vegeta climbed the steps to his ship, instead of discarding the photo's she brought him, he carefully, almost tenderly folded them, and placed them in his pocket.

- Part 2. "To Serve a Purpose, or Purposefully Serve?" -

"So anyways, he says to me, he says 'If you ask me, I think this could be Mr. Satan's last year as champ.' Can you believe 'dat?" A series of laughs broke out around the table. The man telling the story raised his hands and chuckled. "I don't know where he gets his ideas from. The Champ hasn't lost a fight in god knows how long!"

One of his companions nodded in agreement, leaning forward. "But then again." He said, almost conspiratorially, "Hercule ain't as spry as he used ta be. And what if those fighters who turned up at the last tournament show up again? The guys who blew half the stadium apart?"

"You heard Mr. Satan." Another said, in a 'haven't we discussed this before?' tone. "Dem bums knew dat Hercule was about ta act, and dey ran off. Like little cowards!"

But the man wasn't satisfied with this reply. "Yeah, that's what HE says." Meaning Hercule, of course. "I know he reckons it's all cheap tricks and smoke and mirrors, but I dunno guys. When that spiky haired fella blew up the stands..." He shook his head. "It sure felt real ta me."

Not too far away, Goku walked the streets almost carefree. It had been months since Vegeta had shown his miserable face, and Goku was glad for that.

He'd decided to run a few errands in South City for Bulma today, to give her some sort of relief from the busy schedule that took up most of her day. Something Vegeta never would have done for her. He stopped suddenly, his carefree expression vanishing as he glanced up the alley.

"She's turned you into quite the little errand boy, hasn't she?" Taunted the Saiyan Prince, standing at the end of the alleyway. In truth, this meeting hadn't been planned. It was simply coincidental that they'd been in the same place at the same time.

"Jeez, and I thought this was going to be a good day." Responded Goku, rolling his eyes. "I'm really not in the mood for your rubbish today Vegeta. I've got a lot to do." He started walking again, surprised that Vegeta didn't make a move to stop him as he passed.

"Very well Kakarot. You be a good little boy and do exactly what the vile tramp tells you to do." He called over his shoulder, closing his eyes and smirking. Just as he expected, Goku's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. 'Too easy' he thought with dark amusement.

"Say whatever you want about me." Goku said in a tense voice. "But lay the hell off Bulma. She's done nothing wrong to you." He was shocked to find his hands were shaking

Vegeta threw back his head and laughed, still with his back turned. "How noble and valiant you are. This woman has you eating out of the palm of her hand, yet you still defend her. Even though she's reduced to no more than a lap dog."

Goku's hair began to stand, his breathing becoming shallower. He couldn't understand why Vegeta was making him so mad. So, he reminded himself to breathe, ignore Vegeta's taunts. But he found he couldn't. "Whatever." He growled, struggling to remain calm. "If that's all, I think I'll be leaving."

As he started to leave, Vegeta spoke again. "That's right. Run away like the coward you are. Run back to Bulma and cry to her about how 'big mean Vegeta' was picking on you." Once again, the footsteps stopped. On the inside, Vegeta was laughing. "Or, you could show a bit of pride, and forcefully make me regret my words. Obviously I understand if you don't want to get hurt again." He turned around fully, smirking at Goku's back. "The choice is yours."

The usually kind Saiyan was furious. His hands trembled as he turned slightly, glaring at Vegeta sidelong. "I think I'll take option 2." His aura erupted around him, several windows surrounding the alley exploded inwards. Cracks formed in a circle around Goku as his rage broke through.

Vegeta didn't move the whole time, apart from raising an eyebrow. "You're... going to fight me, HERE, where there are countless innocent people who could get in our way?"

Instantly, the aura died, Goku's shock and guilt hitting him like a bomb. He'd have to do some serious soul searching, considering he'd neglected the fact that civilians could get killed. But he couldn't do it now. He had to show some Pride.

"You're right." He admitted. "But why do you care about innocent people dying?"

Vegeta raised an eyebrow again as he drifted upwards. He came to a stop around 20 metres in the air, and looked down at Goku. "Oh, I didn't say I cared if they died. I simply want you at your best, not fretting over the well being of a bunch of expendable humans." He hunched into a ball, and Goku's eyes opened in horrible, dawning comprehension. "I will take care of it. Just a moment."

Goku jumped forwards. "Vegeta! No!" He yelled, stretching out an arm as if begging for him not to, but it was too late. Vegeta's aura expanded than retracted in quick succession as he threw his arms wide, screaming to the heavens.

"I'm tellin' ya, Mr. Satan is tougher than ever!" The discussion had quickly escalated into an argument. "He's the strongest guy on the planet, and he'll be the champ for as long as-" The rest of the sentence was lost in the tremendous explosion that shook the city to it's foundations.

Vegeta's attack had detonated right in the heart of the city, merely a block away from where the friends had been, squabbling over Hercule Satan. The explosion was immense, although only a fraction of what the Prince could do, if he'd had a mind to. Buildings shattered, cars were crushed and crumbled. People ran screaming but were quickly engulfed in the blast. Flesh was torn from bone, bone broken into dust, dust vaporized into nothingness.

The people outside the blast radius hadn't escaped altogether. Many people had their lives snuffed out by falling rubble, many bodies were broken by the fierce after shock that blew through the streets.

Goku was blown backwards, crashing through rubble and the remnants of buildings. He came to a halt at what used to be the edge of the CBD, now a gigantic, smoking crater. He glared through the smoke, shaking in rage and humiliation at Vegeta's actions.

Vegeta's silhouette was visible through the haze, and his voice drifted over the braying sirens and screaming voices. "There we are." He called out. "That should be plenty of space for us to fight in. If we need more room..." His raven-black spikes snapped to deep golden, and a bright aura surrounded him. "... I can always clear more of this rubbish out."

How could he have been so stupid? Furious tears began to well up in Goku's eyes, his whole body shaking. He should have just walked away, not played up to Vegeta's taunts. This was his fault they were all dead. But he'd set things to rights.

Goku's hair now stood on end, shifting to blonde, his eyes to teal. "You'll... pay... for this..." he said in a rage filled, trembling voice. Thanks to the smoke, Vegeta didn't see Goku press two shaking fingers to his forehead, and the Earth-raised Saiyan was able to get the drop on his opponent.

The Prince had been cackling at Goku's remark when he suddenly felt the wind knocked out of him. Goku's knee was buried in Vegeta's gut, and his furious face was barely inches from Vegeta's. "I'm going to make you suffer... For every life you've taken today... For the pain you've caused your family... For betraying the only people who ever considered you a friend."

These words meant little to the Prince. What mattered is that he'd let his guard down. He braced himself for the blow he knew was coming, realising that he would be unable to block or dodge it. When it came, however, even knowing it was coming didn't soften the pain. The punch slammed into the top of his head, and his neck jarred painfully. The shot sent him flying, and he crashed through two buildings before coming to a halt in the midst of a third. A shout ensued from inside, and a blast tore the dwelling apart.

Vegeta cracked his neck, glaring across at Goku. He wouldn't let his guard down like that again. But the sight of the other Saiyan stunned him. Goku was shaking, hunched over, his aura bursting at random intervals. He couldn't control himself anymore, and he was transforming into a 3rd stage Super Saiyan.

With his now waist-length hair streaming out in the breeze, he clenched his fist. "This ends here and now." He was confident he could put an end to all of this right here. But then again, he didn't realise Vegeta had also ascended.

The Prince's senses were still sharp, and he could feel Goku's power fluctuating rapidly. He'd transformed too soon, meaning that whilst he still had the power to crush Vegeta right now, if Vegeta bided his time, more smoothly ascended, he'd be left streets behind.

So, Vegeta made his move. His aura exploded and he shot into the skies, gathering dual balls of energy in his palms as he rose. Goku watched on, thinking the attacks were intended for him. At the apex of his climb, Vegeta lifted his arms, then swiftly flung the balls to the ground, right into the crowds of people. Without pausing for breath, he began firing multiple waves, as Goku cottoned on to what he was doing.

"STOP THIS!" He shouted, shooting into the air and hitting Vegeta with a savage uppercut. Blood flew from the Prince's smirking lips as he back flipped through the air. The hit, whilst exceedingly painful, was well worth the damage.

"You're a smarter fighter than I thought!" He called, wiping the blood away from his mouth with a shaking hand. "Allowing so many people to die to give yourself the advantage in battle. It's something I would have done."

Goku's stunned face looked down, frantically searching the area. It was true. Groups of smaller craters dotted the city, and half blown apart corpses littered the streets. "No!" shouted Goku, turning back around to Vegeta. "I had to stop you somehow! If I could have saved them, I would have!"

"Justify it however you like, Kakarot!" He taunted, smirking broadly. "You saw an opportune moment, and you couldn't pass it up, even though hundreds of people would die thanks to your actions." He tilted his face forwards, that sadistic grin still fixed in place. "You know you could have saved them. But you chose not to. I applaud you." And he did indeed applaud, bringing his gloved hands together a few times, laughing under his breath.

"That's not TRUE!" he shouted, his aura punctuating the last word with an upsurge of energy. "This is YOUR FAULT!"

Once again, Vegeta cackled wickedly. "Whatever you say. Blame me for your failures all you like. But the fact remains, they're yours." Whilst this conversation had been going back and forth, Vegeta had been (unnoticed by Goku in his fury) raising his energy, gradually, carefully. He had planned on taking quite a beating before transforming, but this had worked just fine. Goku had played right into his hands.

"I must say though, I have to thank you." He said, crouching slightly and centring his ki.

"For what, exactly?" Goku growled through clenched teeth. He wasn't worried about Vegeta powering up. He knew that he could beat him in his current state. Normally, however, he would have been more cautious. But fury and rage had clouded his judgement. He was falling into a trap.

"Giving me the time to show you a little something I've learned recently!" His aura erupted, veins popping out along his brawny arms. "You see, there's a major oversight you've made today... Something you most likely won't live to regret!"

For the first time, Goku's rage faltered. What could Vegeta be talking about? "Tell me what you're babbling about right now!" Goku shouted, anger returning to him again. "Or shut your mouth and fight!"

"All in good time Kakarot!" he growled in a shaking voice. "The biggest mistake you've ever made... Is to underestimate... The Prince of Saiyans!" A savage, psychotic shout echoed through the battle torn city, as lightning leaped from Vegeta's form. The earth below began to crack and shake, toppling more buildings in the remnant of the city.

Shock flooded through Goku as he watched Vegeta's golden hair begin to lengthen. "No! I can't let him transform!" The Saiyan cupped his hands at his side, praying that it wasn't too late. "Ka...me..." a bright, shining blue orb gathered between his shaking hands. "Ha... me..." Vegeta's screams rang in his ears, as he shouted his best hope to the heavens. "Haaaaa!" A pillar of energy erupted from his hands, shooting towards the Prince.

Would it work? Vegeta's aura swirled around him like a vast tempest as Goku's wave slammed into his form. The resulting explosion was intense. All light seemed to be sucked from the world, and if someone had been watching from space, they would have seen a gigantic golden sphere expand out and away from the Earth's atmosphere.

Goku opened his eyes, seeing nothing but an enormous mushroom cloud pluming into the skies. His breaths were shallow and ragged, having forced most of his energy into that last attack.

For a few moments, nothing stirred. Then Goku heard the sound he'd least wanted to hear. "Very nice attempt, Kakarot. But once again, a fraction too late." A breeze kicked up and swept the smoke pillar away, revealing The Prince, a golden energy barrier surrounding him. His blue Gi was in tatters, but otherwise, Vegeta seemed to be unharmed by Goku's devastating attack.

Fear swept over Goku. How could Vegeta have withstood that? He'd put his all into that blast. It didn't occur to Goku in his current state that Vegeta was hurting a lot more than he was letting on. In fact, Vegeta had been dearly injured by that blast.

"You see now, Kakarot?" He called, letting the barrier fall away. "I have the power to crush you like an ant. Your power is slipping, I can feel it. I bet you're struggling just to keep your current form, aren't you?"

'Damn it, he's right.' Thought Goku as despair began to wash over him. He was so clouded then by his emotions, he couldn't feel the significant drop in Vegeta's energy. "So what's it going to be, Vegeta?" He said quietly, breathing heavily. "Going to kill me? Going to blow up the planet?"

Vegeta laughed again, folding his arms. "Kill you? Why the hell would I kill you? You're about as close to a challenge that the universe can give me." He paused for a few moments, letting his words sink in. "You didn't listen to me, the last time we fought, did you? I told you, I wanted you at your best. This isn't your best."

Goku could only stare at Vegeta. A new emotion had surfaced; Confusion. For the life of him, he couldn't work out Vegeta's motives. If he didn't want to kill Goku, why did he always want to fight him? If it was a challenge he desired, why was he stopping right when things started to heat up? He didn't think it was fear. Both times now, Vegeta had shown power far beyond anything Goku had ever expected of him. And he seemed to know how strong he had gotten as well. Was it concern for Goku's life? Fat chance.

"I don't get you." He said, shaking his head. "Why do you want to fight me, if you don't want to kill me? If it's a challenge you want, why stop when things heat up?" He asked, voicing his thoughts aloud. He didn't expect an answer, but he got one.

"You just don't get it." Came the reply. "I'm a Saiyan, Kakarot. I live for battle. And the reason why I've stopped our fights recently is because I expected more from you. I want to fight you, and defeat you when you're at your absolute best. But so far, you've presented no challenge to me whatsoever."

These words were true, Goku knew it. If Vegeta had wanted to, he could have taken Goku out easily. He'd let his anger cloud his judgement. Not once, but twice. He'd even stopped caring (at one point) about innocent lives. And that wasn't him. At all. Maybe Vegeta wasn't the only monster here.

"This is over for now." Vegeta said, surprising Goku by being only a few feet away from him. "You're a miserable wreck of what you used to be." His long hair receded and became jet black once more. "I suggest you gather the Dragonballs, and wish these people back to life. I'll be back for you, so watch yourself."

With that, Vegeta shot away in the opposite direction, leaving Goku, again, feeling shamed and humiliated.


	5. Chapter 4: Evolution

**CHAPTER FOUR:** Evolution 

- Part 1. "Arise, Shenron." -

Tien's eyes were closed, palms pressed together in front of him, as though praying. The only sounds to be heard was the tranquil babbling voice of a nearby stream and the light sigh of the wind through the leaves.

For several moments, nothing happened. The Triclops didn't move a muscle. Then, the rattle of falling stones met his ears, and Tien's eyes snapped open.

His arm shot straight up, elbow bent, as a copy of himself appeared as if from nowhere, swinging a kick towards his jaw. The kick thudded heavily into Tien's raised arm, and the doppleganger jumped back, landing lightly on one foot and assuming it's fighting pose.

Tien swivelled on the spot, darting towards his counterpart in one swift movement, and the two leaped into the air, vanishing almost instantly. To the untrained eye, they were invisible.

The original Tien appeared, swinging his foot at something that seemed not to be there, then glanced around rapidly. In midair, he turned, thrusting forward with his right hand, forefingers pointed skyward. With a shout, he let out an invisible kiai, hitting the copy as it re-appeared.

Not far away, Goku flew towards Tien's lonely training ground, Dragon radar in hand. He had his usual smile, but there was something troubled about it.

The Saiyan was out to gather the Dragonballs and save the people he (in his mind, it had been his fault) had let die the day before. He felt good, being out on another hunt, but the guilt still gnawed at the back of his mind.

"Hey... I think I see Tien up ahead!" He squinted into the bright sunrise, shading his eyes with his hand, trying to discern the figure in the skies. "Yeah, that's him alright. Hey, Tien!"

Both Tien's looked around at the same time, their concentrated faces giving way to identical smiles. "Goku." He said quietly with a nod, dropping down to the ground. The two Shinhans bowed to one another, then reformed into one person, turning around and waving to Goku as the Saiyan landed on the ground. "Hey, Goku, what're you doing out here?"

"I'm looking for the Dragonballs." He said, holding up the radar. "I ah... Had a run in with Vegeta yesterday..." The easy smile faded slightly, replaced with a somewhat crestfallen frown. "Alot of people got hurt."

At the mention of the name, Tien scowled heavily. He'd never liked Vegeta, ever since he and Nappa came to Earth and killed so many of his friends. His hatred of the man had lessened after he sacrificed himself to halt Majin Buu's onslaught, but only slightly. "That guy's a real jerk." He spat bitterly. "I feel like giving him a piece of my mind, except there's not a whole lot I could do against someone like him." He glanced to the ground. Even after he'd spent his whole life in constant training, he was still leagues behind the likes of Goku and Vegeta.

"You'd be surprised at what you can do." Goku said kidnly, almost feeling Tien's regret that he wasn't stronger. "You've gotten alot stronger. I can feel it." This wasn't a white lie to pick up Tien's spirits. He had grown considerably stronger since he'd last seen him.

"You think so?" The Triclops asked, smiling slightly at the compliment. "Thanks man. Say, why don't I come with you? Could be just like old times, right?"

"Yeah! That sounds like a great idea!" Goku replied excitedly. It would be good to have some company on his hunt. For one thing, he wouldn't be brooding so much. "The radar says there's a Dragonball here somewhere..."

And so, the pair began the search. The first Dragonball was found at the bottom of the stream nearby, then they headed west to find the second. During their flight, Goku mentioned the upcoming Martial Arts tournament. "Going to enter this year?" He asked conversationally.

"Yeah, I thought it was about time I gave the tournament another whirl." Tien chuckled, recalling the first time he'd entered. He'd been a brash, reckless young man back then. Oh, how times had changed.

"I even think Yamcha's going to enter this year!" Goku said with a laugh. It had been years since he'd seen Yamcha fight.

"You're kidding? Yamcha? Wouldn't he be too busy playing Baseball and combing his hair?"

An hour or so later, they entered the snowy polar regions. "W-w-whoa m-m-man... It's f-f-freezing!" Goku stuttered through chattering teeth as they drifted around the icy peaks.

Tien, who had donned his usual heavy cloak before leaving merely chuckled. "Don't know what you're talking about, I find the temperature refreshing."

Once they'd located the ball they moved on, talking about recent events, making sure to steer clear of mentioning Vegeta. The Saiyan's name seemed to leave a bad taste in both of the warrior's mouths.

Tien had a good laugh watching Goku try to coax the third Dragonball out from under an angry mother Pterodactyl, and doubled over as one of the babies bit down heavily on Goku's finger. "Ye-ouch! That isn't funny Tien!" He said, shaking his throbbing hand as Tien struggled to breath. "That smarts!"

The pair entered the desert in search of the fourth. "Maybe it's in one of the Pyramids?" Tien suggested with a shrug, as a deep voice rolled out to meet them.

"Looking for this?"

Goku glanced up at the voice, a smile quickly spreading over his face. "Heeeey Piccolo!" The Saiyan flew up towards the Namekian, who had a bright orange Dragonball in his outstretched hand.

"Good to see you Goku, Tien." Piccolo said, nodding to the pair. "I know what happened with Vegeta. You can't blame yourself for what he did." His face became grave. "It wasn't your fault. He was bound to pull something like this sooner or later."

Despite Piccolo's instistence, Goku still felt guilty about what had happened. "I know." He lied. "I just feel bad that the people of South City had to pay for his arrogance." Tien's eyes widened briefly. South City? That was were Launch lived...

No, he'd seen Launch the previous afternoon. She'd spent the last few days at Kame House. She was okay. But the fact still remained; She could have been there, save for a lucky chance. Tien's stomach seemed to tie itself in knots at the thought.

"...Tien? Hello?" The Triclops shook the thoughts out of his head and looked at Goku and Piccolo. Both of them were giving him slightly scrutinizing looks.

"Sorry man, miles away." He said, laughing and rubbing the back of his neck to pass off the awkward moment. Goku laughed along with him, but Piccolo narrowed his eyes, seeming to read Tien's thoughts.

The 5th and 6th Dragonballs were found in rather nostalgic places for Goku and Tien. The 5th was located in the village near Fire Mountain, where Goku had first met Chi-Chi and Ox King. The fourstar ball, the 6th in their search, had been pinpointed on Papaya Island.

Goku and Tien landed in the ruins of the old Tournament stadium, waves of nostalgia washing over them. Nothing remained of the stage; It had been destroyed when Goku fought Piccolo so many years ago. "Weird being back here again, huh?" Goku mused aloud, running his hand across the stone of the old Temple.

"Sure is." Replied Tien, letting his arms fall to his sides as he stared around at the stands. To the fighters, this place felt like hallowed ground.

The ball was found buried amidst the rubble in the stands, and the pair took off again in search of the last. This place too held special signifigance to Goku. It was on an Island to the south. The very island where he had first fought Vegeta.

Vegeta's dark eyes narrowed, sensing Goku and Tien's energies headed his way. "Kakarot and the three-eyed freak..." He muttered, stepping out of the cave and staring at the horizon. What could they be doing, coming out here? Surely they weren't stupid enough to challenge him. Besides, there was no way they could know where he was. He'd hidden his power level ever since returning to this spot. Only one option seemed viable; There was a Dragonball nearby.

He'd let them have their fun. Allow them to pass through his domain unscathed. This time. With that thought, he stepped back into the darkness, and watched.

"Alright, it should be over here somewhere..." They landed in the middle of the dusty valley, eyes peeled for any sign of the last Dragonball. Goku felt uneasy, as though an unfriendly gaze was boring into the back of his head.

After a few minutes of searching, Tien gave a call, holding the last Dragonball aloft. Gathered together, 7 Dragonballs flashed on the ground at Goku's feet, the sky darkening as it heralded the arrival of the Eternal Dragon. "Arise, Shenron! Grant my wish!" As Goku spoke, thunder roared over head, and lightning forked through the clouds. One of the bolts seemed to shoot upwards, the two men taking a step back whilst the light began twisting itself into the form of a gigantic, snake-like Dragon.

The mighty Shenron let out a low growl, whipping it's long tail through the air. It's red eyes narrowed, focussing on the two below. "You have awakened the Dragon..." It rumbled in it's deep, gravelly voice. "And so I will grant you one wish... What do you desire?"

Goku stepped forward, addressing Shenron directly. "Shenron, please bring all of the innocent lives lost yesterday morning in South City back to life!"

"Hmmm..." Shenron nodded once. "Very well." His eyes glowed brightly for a few moments, bathing the area in a red hue. "Your wish has been granted." All over South City, people were opening their eyes, hardly daring to believe they were alive. The buildings and landscape returned to normal, and Goku breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Shenron!" He called to the Dragon, smiling brightly. He felt much better, knowing that everything was back to being as normal as it could be.

The Eternal Dragon nodded again, flashes of light from below distorting it's features. "Until the next summoning..." A blinding flash lit up the area, the Dragonballs rising into the air before shooting off in 7 directions. They would remain as stones for one whole year.

"I'm glad that's over." Said Goku quietly, looking around at Tien. But the Triclops wasn't looking like he was glad about anything. His eyes were glaring, teeth bared, hands balled into fists. "Whoa Tien, what's gotten into..." He followed Tien's gaze to a nearby rocky platform, spotting an all too familiar figure silhouetted against the setting sun.

The form above them seemed to shimmer briefly, then vanished as Vegeta leaped down from the plinth. He reappeared around 50 metres in front of them, landing lightly on one foot. "How long have you been following us?" Goku asked in a tense voice. He had slowed his breathing when he realised who was watching them, reminding himself to stay calm.

"Long enough." The Prince wasn't about to tell them that this was place was now his home. He didn't want them making regular visits.

"I expected you to turn up sooner." His voice was steady, calm. Goku wasn't happy at all to see Vegeta, but he was pleasantly surprised that he was keeping his cool this time. "You know, let us do all the hard work, and then show up and steal our wish?"

Tien, on the other hand, was fuming. A mental image of Vegeta, cackling and blasting apart buildings rose up in his mind. Launch could have easily been there that day. She could have died. The thought infuriated him to no end.

"I have everything I need already." Vegeta replied in scathing tones. "I have nothing to wish for. Although I'm sure I could come up with something better than wishing back a bunch of petty humans."

"You're nothing but a monster!" Shouted Tien, taking a few steps forward. His eyes twitched with rage, a vein ticking in his forehead. "Launch could have been in that city, you asshole!" Goku's eyes widened slightly as Tien moved towards Vegeta. "Tien... Be careful..." The Saiyan muttered quietly.

The Prince let out an evil, mirthless laugh at Tien's reaction. "You say that like it's a bad thing." He taunted, watching as Tien's whole form shook. "Personally, I feel that one less idiotic blue haired woman on this planet would be a good th-"

His last words were cut off. Tien had snapped. His white aura exploded into life, muscles bulging furiously and before Vegeta knew it, Tien had slammed his foot into the Prince's jaw. Vegeta shot into the skies from the hit, regaining his composure and glaring down at where Tien stood. Or, where Tien HAD stood.

The Triclops shifted into view at Vegeta's back, slamming his knee into the Saiyan's spine. "I'll make you bleed for what you've done!" Tien yelled angrily, bringing his linked fists down right between Vegeta's hunched shoulders.

The Prince toppled down to the ground, slamming into a Mountain side. "Whoa... Tien..." Goku gaped in shock at the sight before his eyes. This was... Unbelievable.

Tien's breathing was ragged and furious as he crossed his arms in front of his face. "Multi-Form!" He shouted, multiplying himself so that 4 copies of himself now drifted in a tight square above the mountain. "I'll kill you!" He brought his hands up in front of him, palms pressed together, and the copies mimicked him. He fanned his palms out, creating a triangle shape, focussing in on where Vegeta lay.

"Neo Tri-Beam! Ha!" All 4 Tiens shouted in unison, blasting the mountainside apart. The force of the explosion was tremendous. "Ha! Ha! Ha!" Again and again, Tien fired the beam, blasting apart the landscape with golden energy, punctuating each blast with a scream of rage.

"Tien! That's enough!" Goku shouted, common sense cutting through his astonishment. He could feel how much energy Tien was putting out with his attacks, and knew that he wouldn't be able to keep it up much longer.

But Tien wasn't listening. He continued firing until all of his energy was spent. Breathing heavily, he returned to single form, staring down at the gigantic square crater he'd created. It seemed bottomless. But it did have a bottom, and Vegeta was down there. Angrier than a stirred up hornet's nest.

A blue light drifted up towards them, followed by a rage filled shout. "Uh-oh..." Goku could sense Vegeta's ki rising rapidly. This wasn't good. The blue light snapped to golden, and Super Saiyan Vegeta blasted out of the pit. His face was livid, teeth bared in a savage snarl. Two balls of Ki were gathered in his palms, and they grew as he blasted towards Tien.

A shocked, tired gasp escaped Tien's lips, and he quickly brought his hands up again. "Tri-Beam!" Vegeta was engulfed in the explosion, but quickly shot through the smoke, continuing his maniacal flight path towards the Triclops. Barely 10 metres away, he came to a sudden halt, swinging his hands around and slamming his wrists together. "This is it for you! Final Flash!"

Tien was too exhausted to put up a defense. The pillar of golden ki moved steadily towards him, and he knew this was the end. His eyes slipped closed and he began to fall, straight towards the beam.

"Hyaaaa!" Goku appeared suddenly beside the wave, thrusting his hands forward, his own golden wave deflecting Vegeta's.

"Kakarot? No!" Vegeta drew his arm back, preparing to launch another assault, but Goku was too quick. He wrapped his hand into the folds of Tien's cloak, pressing two fingers to his forehead. "No you don't! Big Bang Attack!" The Blue orb rocketted towards the pair, barely missing as Goku used his Instant Transmission technique.

Vegeta's fury was palpable then. He blasted the landscape, zoomed through the skies, roaring in anger at their escape. He was going to kill both of them. No one got the jump on Prince Vegeta! No one!

Tien fell to all fours on the stone ground at Kami's Lookout, struggling to keep concious. The pattering of hasty foosteps told them that their arrival had been noticed by Dende and Mr. Popo. "G-Goku? Tien? What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

"We're okay Dende." Said Goku calmly, kneeling next to Tien and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Tien might need to have a rest, if that's- Tien!"

Tien had pushed himself to his feet, and began stumbling towards the edge of the lookout. "I'll... Kill... Monster..." he mumbled, feet dragging along the ground. With a sigh of exhaustion, he fell forwards, Goku rushing over to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Tien, I know you want to fight." Began Goku, putting Tien's arm around his shoulders and leading him back towards a stunned Dende. "But rushing off when you're exhausted like this, the only thing you'll accomplish is getting yourself killed."

Mr Popo moved over and took Tien's other arm, helping him to walk. "Goku's right." He said wisely. "You must rest."

"Trust me, this is as hard on me as it is on you." The whole situation with Vegeta had indeed effected Goku more so than nearly everyone. He had really been the only one to trust Vegeta fully (other than Bulma, Trunks and Bulla, of course), and his betrayal stung him deeply. "But fighting without thinking will do more harm than good. A lesson I wished I'd have learned sooner. It would have cost thousands of innocent people their lives, if it wasn't for the Dragonballs..."

Goku and Mr. Popo helped Tien onto a small camp bed inside the temple, and Tien closed his eyes gratefully. "I'm sorry, Goku. For losing my cool, and letting you down."

"Don't be ridiculous." Goku said, placing a hand on Tien's shoulder. "You did great out there today. I mean that. Now rest, you've earned it." Tien responded with a small smile, finally allowing himself to slip away into a deep, dreamless sleep.

- Part 2. "By the light of the Moon." -

Deep in space, a spherical vessel hurtles through the crushing, empty blackness. As this ship cruises past a dying star, a brief flare illuminates the faded lettering printed on the side: CAPSULE CORP. The fish bowl portholes emit random flashes of golden light, as the Saiyan Prince Vegeta pushes his body to the edge of it's limits.

A dozen bright orbs of Ki energy soar around the interior of the ship. A strange haze fills the room, the gravity machine showing a readout of 500 times Earth's natural gravity. The Prince's form shifts in and out of sight, dodging between the blasts. How long had he been training for now? Hours? Days? He didn't care. All he knew was that his whole body ached, and that ache was good.

Why was Vegeta moving through the stars again? He'd grown tired of Earth and the challenges it presented him. The constant fighting with Goku had lost it's vogue for him. Goku had been too wrapped up in his emotions to put up any kind of fight. So, once again, he turned to the wider Universe in search of a more fitting foe.

"Attention Travellers." The ship chimed in it's falsely cheery voice as Vegeta moved seemlessly between the spheres of energy. "Arrival at Planet Tsala'Van in 6 hours. Please have your luggage ready for disembarkment."

With a light thud, Vegeta landed on the cracked floor of his ship, hand's spread out, causing the ki blasts to halt in mid air, then completely vanish. He was quite impressed with his abilities, especially his telekentic powers. Not having used them in so long, he had been surprised to find out he could still call upon them at need. They wouldn't be much use in battle, no. 'But it'll make for a neat party trick.' He'd thought to himself dryly.

Six hours. He'd take a shower and rest, that was the ticket. Planet Tsala'Van had been a top rated planet in his days as part of the Planet Trade Organisation. Even the Ginyu Force hadn't attempted to take it. It should prove to be some form of challenge.

He awoke to the sounds of the ship's artificial intelligence advising him that he should now make his way to his seat and fasten his seatbelt. It's bright, cheery tone reminded him of Bulma, and a scowl quickly replaced the smirk that never should have been there in the first place.

Tsala'Van's atmosphere was dry and hostile. Regular sandstorms ravaged the barren landscape, and the heat was almost unbearable; Vegeta liked it already. There was only one problem: There was nothing here.

Perhaps the locals hadn't noticed his arrival yet? Likely. Maybe this race were exceedingly strong, but not all that bright. There was a high probability that this was the case. So he waited.

The Prince waited until the sun drew closer and closer to the horizon before losing patience. "Where the hell are you?" He shouted loudly, floating up onto a high outcropping and staring around. There was no response, apart from his own frustrated voice bouncing back at him. It occurred to him then that perhaps the reason why this planet had never been taken was the high gravity and extreme conditions, something the ordinary warrior couldn't stand. Still, he held on to the faith that SOMETHING would happen.

As the sun dipped below the distant mountain ranges, he glanced up at the skies, hoping to see hulking figures hurling energy attacks at him, or SOMETHING of the sort. But no. He saw nothing, apart from 3 bright silver moons hanging in the heavens.

Something strange began to come over him. His heart rate quickened to begin with, then his hands began to twitch. "Wh-what's this..." he stammered in his confusion, as a tingling sensation spread from his lower back. A moment later, a brand new tail burst through his Gi.

This was bizarre. Often, Saiyan children would regrow their tails if they were lost. But a Saiyan in his prime, after having no tail for almost 25 years... This made no sense to Vegeta at all.

The Prince felt his lips part in a snarl, and he pressed his fingers to mouth. His incisors had grown to fang –like length, and his body trembled as it started to grow. It was then he realised his gaze was transfixed on the moons above him, and it clicked. Blutz Waves.

Those three moons were enormous. The amount of waves generating from them would be far more than anything he'd experienced in his life. And, before long, he would be an Oozaru again.

The rocky platform below him first cracked, then sundered under his weight, thick brown hair coating his body. His eyes (now red) still stared up at the moons in disbelief at what was happening. His blue Gi was made of similar material to his old Armor, meaning it stretched to almost any size; It almost looked comical on the Great Ape, though.

Something felt... Odd, however. Different. He felt as though the transformation was incomplete, lacking. As if in response to this thought, his Ki kicked up of it's own accord, and he roared loudly at the moons.

The mat of brown fur began to shift colour, now matching the deep golden of a Super Saiyan. He raised his fists to the skies, this new energy flowing through his veins. "Yes! Yes!" Words were beyond him. He was amazed at his strength. He tore his gaze from the sky, blasting the landscape apart with a Ki blast from his fearsome maw.

A crazed state had swept over him, pumelling the mountains and cracking the very ground. It seemed the Prince had no control over his actions. He had basically become a mindless creature, enslaved to the power he now posessed.

The rampage lasted for maybe an hour, before a carelessly fired energy wave nearly decimated Vegeta's ship. Something clicked in his mind, and he ceased his actions, sweat coating his brow. What was he doing? He had nearly destroyed his only means to get off this worthless rock.

No. He was a Saiyan Prince. He was far beyond such petty, worthless, animalistic behaviour. This sudden self realisation led to another surge in energy. A bright light surrounded the Golden Ape, and Vegeta began to shrink. He was engulfed in the bright glow, the planet shaking as if in anticipation of what was to come.

The light dissipated, first revealing a torso covered in blood red fur. A bowed head, adorned with shoulder length raven-black bangs. The Prince open his crimson ringed eyes in an emotionless stare. He was bathed in a sense of surreal, calm power. This, he thought. This is the pinnacle of Saiyan Evolution.

There was no one to rival him in the galaxy. Part of him enjoyed that thought. But, the Saiyan, the proud warrior questioned him... What is the point of having power if there is no one to challenge him?


	6. Chapter 5: Sins

**CHAPTER FIVE:** Sins.

-Part 1 – "A Helping Hand" -

"Alright Trunks, are you sure this is going to work?" A bead of nervous sweat passed across Goku's brow as he looked down into the clearing where Trunks stood.

"I'm sure." He said simply, his face set and rather grim. "My Mother designed this machine, and she's never wrong."

Piccolo stood nearby, his arms folded, an unpleasant frown creasing his features. Gohan gazed up at his father a few feet away from the Namekian, not pleased himself about the whole turn of events. "Dad, let me do it. What happens if something goes wrong?" He called out.

Goku let out a short and carefree laugh. "Hey, it's fine. Really! I trust Bulma and Trunks, we'll be fine, okay?"

Several days before hand, Piccolo had made an extremely unwelcome discovery. His meditating solitude had been interrupted by Vegeta. But there was something extremely different about him. Not only his appearance (blood red fur, raven black hair which cascaded over his shoulders and crimson ringed eyes), but his energy was... Unfathomable. It seemed limitless.

"Like the changes, Namek?" He'd asked, raising his eyebrows at the scowling Piccolo.

Piccolo tried to disguise the shock and fear by mocking the Prince. "No, not really. You look like an orang-utan with a blind hairdresser."

Vegeta hadn't risen to this bait at all. "Mock all you like, I can smell your fear. It's palpable." His nostrils dilated as if to punctuate that sentence, and he smiled wickedly. "You're shaking in your... Well, not your boots. You don't have boots. Your..." His eyes narrowed mockingly as he glanced down at Piccolo's rough hide shoes. "Animal skins."

How did he achieve this? Vegeta was more than happy to tell Piccolo exactly how and why he had transformed. The Namekian didn't believe for a second that it was just proud boasting. It seemed as though the Prince wanted Goku to know how to ascend. Like a challenge.

And so, here they were. Bulma had pulled out all the stops in desigining this Blutz Wave Generator, and Trunks had worked day and night to get it up and running. Goku knew it would be a hard task, so Gohan had come along to try and remind his Father of who he was, if it came to that. Vegeta had said the secret to it was being self aware in the Golden Oozaru stage, or something along those lines.

"Let me know when you're ready, Goku." Trunks called out, the machine whirring into life. This was it. Now or never. Goku wiped his brow with the blue wristband on his arm, and gave a single, determined nod.

The Generator fired, waves of circular energy streaming through the air towards Goku. Almost immediately, the Earth-raised Saiyan felt the tingling sensation on his lower back, and his hackles were raised. The tail (which had been missing ever since he had been a boy) shot through his orange clothing, and his canines became sharp, long fangs.

Gohan, Piccolo and Trunks stared tensely at this development, watching as Goku's body first grew, then became covered in a thick, brown fur. At it's full height, the Ape Goku roared, brandishing his fists. But the transformation was far from over.

A light shone from him, and the fur changed hue to Golden. But Goku was not himself. He drove his foot through a rocky hillock, blasted apart a small lake with an energy blast from his mouth. "He's going crazy!" Shouted Gohan, shooting into the air towards his Dad. He ignored Piccolo's yelled "STOP!" and flew right up in front of Goku's face.

Before he could say a word, Goku had grabbed him. His red eyes showed no humanity, just simplistic brute rage. "F-Father! No!" Gohan yelled in a strangled voice. Goku seemed to be crushing the life out of him.

For a moment, a flicker of realisation passed over the Ape's face. "G-Gohan?" It stammered in it's deep rumbling voice. Slowly, he released his grip on his son.

With that simple act, Goku's body was once again enveloped in a cocoon of light. His body shrunk, and within moments, Goku stepped out of the blinding shell, as a Super Saiyan 4.

"D-Dad?" Gohan asked, looking curiously at Goku. Trunks had an almost identical expression as he walked over. Only Piccolo seemed content.

"Gohan, Trunks, Piccolo." Goku said, his voice slightly raspier than usual. "Thank you, I couldn't have done this without you guys." He smiled at them warmly, and the Half-Saiyans breathed a sigh of relief. "And hello, Vegeta, nice of you to drop by."

The smile vanished, and the three warriors glanced around. Vegeta? Where was he? They followed Goku's gaze, spotting the Prince of Saiyans casually leaning against a tree nearby. "So glad I made it in time." He said slyly, walking towards the group. "Thought I'd miss the party."

Trunks began to shake in anger. It was the first time he'd seen his father in almost 2 years. Just the sight of him, strutting towards them, smirking his arrogant smirk made Trunks more furious than he'd ever been in his life.

"No, you're just in time." Goku said with a grave nod. He could feel the energy flowing through him like never before. "So what's it gonna be?"

"What, you mean fight you? Ha!" Vegeta shook his head, mocking disbelief etched into his features. "No, you've only just made the transformation. You don't even know how to use it properly. I'd wipe the mat with you in about 30 seconds."

Goku could see his point. It had been a few weeks, according to Vegeta, since he'd made the ascension. He'd be much more familiar with the form than Goku. But he wasn't going to take this lying down. "I reckon I could give you a run for your money."

"No, you couldn't." Blunt. But truthful. "Get used to the new power, then we fight."

By now, Trunks was furious. His hands were trembling, staring without blinking at his father. Vegeta noticed this, and turned his attention to Trunks. "Got something to say, Son?" He asked, tilting his head in a mocking gesture. Trunks opened his mouth furiously, a thousand words springing to mind and took a step forward.

A hand fell on his shoulder; Gohan's. "Don't." He said quietly to the purple haired youth. "Just let it go." But Trunks found that very hard to do.

He threw Gohan's hand off his shoulder and continued forward. "Yeah, 'Father', I do." His voice was full of spite, anger, frustration. "I want you to know, that you're a miserable failure. That you're a coward who ran away from his family when life got too tough. Goku may not want to fight you right now..." His aura started to shimmer, hair raising. "... But I intend to wipe that smug, self-satisfied look off your face."

This time, Piccolo was the one to halt Vegeta's son. The Namekian stepped over to Trunks, throwing an arm in front of him. His back was to Vegeta, and he shook his head at Trunks. "Don't do it." he said quietly.

"Oh spare me the dramatics!" Vegeta cut across their conversation, voice laced with derision. "None of you here have the guts to take me on. Not even your hero Kakarot. So, I'm going to take my leave." He swept them a short bow, smirking evilly. "See you soon, Kakarot. Oh and Gohan..." He added, turning to look at the man over his shoulder. "I haven't forgotten about YOU, either..."

- Part 2. "Luxuria, Invidia, Superbia, Ira." -

The Wastes of Planet Earth were silent. Devoid of moonlight, the bare trees became twisted forms, like skeletal arms protruding from the ground, clawing at the stars. A chilling breeze ripped through the gully, breaking the eerie silence with it's moaning, sighing voice. Then, all was silent again.

The only light came from the Prince's ship. In the darkness of twilight, the pale golden light shining from it's spherical windows gave it the look of a grinning skull, leering out into the canyon.

Vegeta's expression, staring back at him from the bathroom mirror, was haughty, frustrated, tense. Without dropping his gaze, he turned on the faucet, bathing his face in the shockingly cold water.

A dream had woken him. Not so much a nightmare, but a rather unpleasant one for the Saiyan. He had been standing in the kitchen of Capsule Corp (strangely enough), watching Bulma as she prepared a meal. He didn't speak, confused as to why he was here, but narrowed his eyes as Goku entered the room. The two had spoken briefly before wrapping their arms around each other in a loving embrace.

Green flames leaped up in Vegeta's stomach at the sight. Jealousy? Of course not. 'Lies.'

He pushed the feeling away (with difficulty) and continued to watch. Bulma pulled back and laid a hand on Goku's cheek. "I love you." She whispered to him.

Real rage flared within the Prince's mind this time. He didn't even bother trying to justify it with lies and false reasoning. He was jealous. "Hey! Cut that out!" He yelled angrily, voice echoing oddly, as though he was speaking into a microphone with the reverb dial turned all the way up. But the pair ignored him, leaning towards each other, lips meeting in a tender kiss.

"ENOUGH!" he roared, sprinting forwards, throwing his fist into the side of Goku's head. But it was like he wasn't there. He passed through the kissing couple like a ghost.

"I love you too, Bulma." Goku said, pressing his forehead to hers. A vein was standing out in Vegeta's high forehead in response.

"I SAID ENOUGH!" He screamed, pointing his palm at them, but no energy wave came. The Prince was powerless. Nothing he could do would stop this, and as he made the realisation, he sat bolt upright in bed, drenched in a cold sweat.

The dream flooded back to him, and his face tautened. Anger hit him like a bomb, and two things happened simultaneously; His hands gripped tightly on the vanity, and it crumbled under his grasp. Also, a beam of electricity shot from his eyes, exploding the mirror into a million pieces.

His aura erupted in anger of it's own accord, and the rows of fluorescent tubes exploded one by one. The surge in energy caused the power in the ship to fluctuate and die out.

"Warning, Warning, War...ning..." The ship's voice droned on for a few moments, feebly bleating the notice, before it too died. In the darkness, Vegeta breathed heavily, fury flowing through his veins. Not only was he feeling envious, jealous, but he'd also just wiped out the only way he had to train. Something needed to be done. This needed to be fixed.

And who was the only person who could fix something like this?

That person, miles and miles away, was slowly waking. The grey light of sunrise was filtering through the open windows, curtains fluttering jovially in the light breeze. Her blue eyes opened, roving across the room.

Bulma began to sit, and smiled sleepily at the window. "Always the same." She muttered. She felt sure that Goku would never learn how to use the door. But it didn't worry her at all. Neither did the fact that he was usually gone first thing in the morning.

Two hours later, Goku hopped back through the window, finding Bulma relaxing on the couch with a book open on her lap. She glanced up from it and gave him a warm smile. "Hey, Goku!" She smiled and winked. "How was training?"

"Great!" He said, leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. "Really getting the hang of it!" He was talking, of course, about the Super Saiyan 4 Transformation. And he certainly was getting the hang of it. Not only could he reach it now with no problems, he could sustain it for lengthy periods.

Goku sat next to her on the couch and casually put an arm around her, the pair chatting about nothing in particular. The Blunette rose from her seat, telling Goku she was off to fix them some breakfast, when a light thud on the window sill told them they had company.

"Isn't this touching..." Vegeta's eyes danced with dark malice, staring into the room at the couple.

Bulma glared over at her former husband. It was the first time she'd seen him in almost 2 years. "And what the hell do you want?" She spat angrily.

The Earth-raised Saiyan got to his feet as well, not saying a word. Waiting tensely for something to happen.

Vegeta hopped lightly down into the room before speaking. "My ship needs fixing. I'll want it done in 2 days." His eyes narrowed, as if daring the woman to disagree, or to argue. Yet he wasn't surprised by her response, not at all.

"Oh, and you expect ME to do this for you?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Sorry, 'your highness'!" she said with a mock bow. "But I'm not doing -anything- for you. So I suggest you take your midget self and go back to whatever hovel you call home these days."

Goku had to suppress a grin at the remarks. Vegeta, on the other hand, was not impressed. "Let me try again." He said in a deadly voice, a vein ticking in his temple. "Fix my ship, or I'll reduce this goddamn city to ash and dust."

Bulma's expression shifted from defiance to fear, and she took a hasty step back. In a flash, Goku was between them, a serious look on his face. "You'll have to go through me first." He said, inclining his head towards the Prince. Just behind him, Bulma's hand reached out and held Goku's arm. The man turned his head slightly towards her and smiled to let her know everything would be fine.

This small, tender gesture infuriated Vegeta far more than if he'd walked in on them making love. With Goku's attention focussed on Bulma, he violently backhanded Goku through the wall of the bedroom.

Bulma let out a shriek of fear and tumbled backwards into the wall, staring with horror at the Prince. But he wasn't even looking at her. He strode towards Goku, half buried in the rubble, his face livid.

The rubble shifted, and Goku shot out of it, driving his fist into Vegeta's chin. The Prince backflipped, crashing out into the open skies, taking a huge chunk of the window with him. Goku ran over to Bulma and hugged her, quickly telling her that everything would be alright, before jumping out through the sizeable hole in the wall.

Vegeta composed himself just as Goku shot towards him. The Earth-raised Saiyan meant to lead Vegeta away from the city as far as possible. He threw a small Ki blast at Vegeta and erupted into Super Saiyan, meaning to fly straight past him in the confusion.

The Prince was more than ready for this. Swatting the ball away, he grabbed Goku's tail as he shot past him. "Oh no you don't!" He shouted, dragging Goku back quickly and driving the point of his elbow into his spine. Goku let out a gasp of pain, as Vegeta then swung him around and around, launching him towards the far off mountain ranges.

It was an obvious tactic, and Vegeta knew that Goku wouldn't fight him properly until they were away from innocent bystanders. He'd let him have this one request.

His aura exploded into life, bursting into Super Saiyan as well, flying off after Goku.

No words were spoken between the two as was the norm when they fought. Vegeta simply moved straight in to attack. Fists and feet flew in lightning fast flurries, both warriors trying to land a blow.

The fight continued, both men increasing their power to try and gain the upperhand, but so far, they were perfectly matched. It was as though the two were mirroring one another, and the very earth shook with each blocked attack.

They both charged in at once, a gigantic sonic boom issuing from their meeting place. Hands were grasped, and the fighters seemed to be trying to break one another's fingers in the struggle. Vegeta's face was mask of hideous fury, and his upper lip twitched in a snarl. "What was it, Kakarot?" He shouted into the other man's face. "Waited until I was out of the picture then moved straight in? Or have the pair of you been running around behind my back before now?"

"You're insane!" Goku yelled in response, fighting with all his strength to hold Vegeta at bay. "And since when do you care?" The Prince's questions had thrown him off guard completely.

Since when did he care? That was a great question. 'You don't care! Now stop with the questions and attack!' demanded the angry voice in Vegeta's head. This time, he obeyed without question. His feet swung up and drop-kicked Goku in he chest, simultaneously releasing his grip and flipping backwards. Upside down, mid flip, he threw his palms towards Goku and fired.

The blast detonated, and Goku fell towards the ground, smoke trailing from him. His eyes snapped open, and he drew himself into a ball, flipping over and over then landing lightly on the ground.

His feet touched the rocky surface for a split second before he was airborne again. Vegeta spun around to face him, his palms toward Goku, preparing to fire. But Goku vanished, appearing suddenly to Vegeta's right, catching him off guard and slamming his fist into the Prince's cheek.

The battle raged on for what seemed like hours. The fighters ascended again and again, their identical, long golden hair streaming out behind them as they moved in. Before long, they would start to lose power.

Vegeta sprang lightly off a rock formation, a ball of ki gathered in his hand, which he flung towards where Goku was sure to pop up any moment. The Prince's aim was true, but Goku was up to the task. He slapped the blast aside, throwing his own towards Vegeta. And so the struggle ensued.

The warriors landed after yet another fierce struggle, glaring across the open ground between them. Vegeta's clothing was in tatters, his body scuffed and bloody. Goku looked no better. "You've definitely... Improved..." Vegeta said, breathing heavily.

Goku responded with a nod. "So have you." He wasn't sure how much longer he could sustain this effort. Vegeta too, it seemed, was tiring as well.

"Let's face it." Vegeta said slowly, relaxing his stance and spitting on the ground. "We're too evenly matched right now. We aren't going to solve this."

Goku cocked an eyebrow in response. "Go on."

"Let's leave this for another day. Consider it a brief reprise. But our fight isn't forgotten, understand me?" Vegeta's aura dissipated, and he completely dropped his stance.

"Alright, sounds fair to me." Goku's aura vanished as well, and he straightened up. He wasn't going to question this move. Nor was he going to ask Vegeta what had gotten him so mad. He could see that as plain as day. Envy.

Goku's hair returned to normal as he turned around. He didn't want to be around Vegeta any longer than he had to be. The Prince had other ideas. A sharp blow hit Goku on the back of the neck, and his eyes rolled back as he fell, losing conciousness.

"Clown." Vegeta spat, staring down at Goku's form. He'd hated himself for such a cowardly shot, but damn, it felt good. Now, to go and lay the law down to that idiotic woman.

Bulma had sunk back down onto the now dusty couch when they had left more than two hours previously. Her head was bowed, and she ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. Why did this have to happen to her? A wooshing noise made her look up, expecting to see Goku heading back through the window. But it wasn't Goku at all.

"Reconsidered yet?" Vegeta landed on the rubble strewn floor, lightly adjusting his gloves as though he'd just popped out to do a spot of gardening.

Bulma hopped to her feet and glared at the Prince. "Where is Goku?" she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground.

"Kakarot is indisposed right now." He said, examining his hands. He then shifted his gaze to the blunette and his eyes narrowed. "Two days. Or I'll blast this entire city into rubble."

"You... I..." Bulma's face was furious. Angry tears began to well up in her eyes. "Fine, you jerk!" She shouted. "I'll fix your damn ship, and when you get it back, don't EVER come here again!" She turned her back on him and folded her arms across her chest.

To his surprise, Vegeta felt something that resembled guilt. "Kakarot is in a gully around 10 miles from here." He said quietly to Bulma's turned back. "He's unconscious, but not badly hurt."

Bulma was simply too mad to realise that Vegeta had done something that was almost nice in telling her where he was, and his condition. "Hmph!" She said, raising her head sniffily and leaving the room.

Vegeta stood there for quite some time, the waves of guilt sweeping over him. Not just guilt, but confusion as to why he was feeling guilty. The voices in his head argued back and forth. 'You do care!' 'No I don't!' 'Yes, you do!'.

He strode across the room, intending to leave, but spotted a picture frame amidst the rubble. Not quite knowing why, he dropped to a knee and picked it up, looking down at the photo behind the broken glass.

Bulma with a teenage Trunks grinned from the front of the picture, laughing as Bulla pinched her protesting fathers cheeks, forcing him to smile. The laughter of that day seemed to drift back to him from the past, and he heard himself saying, "Bulla, cut it out!" His daughter had laughed, arguing that it wouldn't kill him to smile for a photo for a change.

He tossed the photo onto Bulma's desk and left the room easily enough. Albeit with a heavy heart.


	7. Chapter 6: RegretDenial

**CHAPTER SIX:** Regret/Denial

- Part 1. "A Change of Heart." -

"Ma'am, there's a homeless looking man poking around the yard, shall I call security?" Bulma lifted her face away from the paperwork in front of her. Was he talking about...

Almost a week had passed since Vegeta's demands had been made, and still the Prince had not turned up to collect his ship. Bulma had fixed it within two days, as asked (forced), yet he had not arrived.

"Just a sec." She said, rising and walking to her study window. Sure enough, it was Vegeta strolling across the well manicured lawns. She'd recognise that hair-do anywhere. "No, it's fine. Just a... a customer." She said turning and walking out of the room. "I got it."

The Prince walked slowly across the lawn, unaware that he was being watched, eyes fixed on the row of ships to the rear of the property. His ship was set a short distance from the others, and he made a bee line for it.

Was it fixed? He had no way of telling until he went in and checked it out. He was on the verge of doing so when a voice spoke to him. "It's all fixed. You can take it and leave whenever you like."

He turned abruptly at the call. Bulma stood around 50 feet from him, hands clasped behind her back in a very business-like way. A thousand scathing remarks rose to Vegeta's lips, such as 'You sure took long enough' or 'It had better be all fixed'. What came out instead surprised both of them. "Thank you."

Bulma's expression faltered. Did he just say 'Thank You'? She certainly couldn't ever remember saying it before. To cover her moment of confusion, she simply acted as though he hadn't said it. "If that's all, then you'd best be off." She turned before he could say anything, but only managed to walk a few steps before his voice made her stop again.

"I miss you..." It wasn't just the words. It was the sad, almost longing tone that made Bulma halt. She let out a soft sigh, and dropped her head.

"I miss you too." She admitted quietly.

A few soft footsteps told Bulma he had walked a few, slow paces towards her. "R-really?" There was a pleading note in his voice, almost disbelief.

She turned around finally, rolling her eyes slightly as she did so. "Of course I do. But..." Her words stopped as she caught sight of him. Close to, she could see dark circles around his eyes, and his face had a strained and almost pinched look. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days. "Are you alright?" She asked, frowning slightly.

"Huh? Yes, of course I am." He mumbled, breaking her gaze. He wasn't going to tell her that he hadn't slept since the day he turned up and demanded she fix his ship. Nor that he hadn't eaten, or moved at all really.

After he'd left Capsule Corp, he'd returned to his lonely haunt in the wastes and stood, once more, on his favourite (most hated) mountain top. For days on end, he stood and stared off into the distance, completely oblivious to the pouring rain, howling winds and baking heat.

"You look like you haven't slept." She said, folding her arms and giving him a scrutinising look. "Haven't eaten much either, I guess?" Despite her anger with him, she suddenly pitied the man standing in front of her. It wasn't the ruthless warrior from a week ago. He seemed broken.

The Prince merely grunted a response that seemed to confirm that no, he hadn't eaten or slept in days. The sad response made her frown even more. She couldn't just leave him like this.

"Come in, then." She tried to mask her true nature by using an exasperated tone. "I was about to have lunch anyway, you may as well join me." Not waiting for a response, she turned and began to walk towards the building, waving for him to follow.

Vegeta stuffed his hands in his pockets and glared at the ground, eventually following her lead towards the building. He wasn't sure why he was accepting her help, but he knew he felt good about it.

Before long, Bulma had set lunch in front of him at the table in the kitchen and, ravenous, Vegeta had begun eating at a furious pace. The blunette hid a small smile behind her hand at his table manners; They hadn't changed a bit.

"Thank you." He said again, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and pushing the plate away from him. Twice now in one day. It had to be some sort of record.

Bulma gave him a small, brief smile and turned to do the dishes. She was surprised again when she heard his chair scrape as he stood. "Want a hand with that?"

She raised an eyebrow as she turned to look at him. "You want to do the dishes?" She asked skeptically.

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to!" He replied haughtily, folding his arms. Why did she have to make it difficult? Moreover, why was he offering to help her? He was a Saiyan Prince, an Elite Warrior. Not some scullery boy.

"I think I can manage." She said, somewhat slyly. "What you can do is go have a shower. And change. Those clothes are terrible." She giggled at his expression, then turned back to the dishes. "I'm sure you remember where the shower is. I'll run some clothes up to you in a minute."

Shaking his head, eyes twitching slightly, he turned and headed up the stairs without saying a word. He was being reminded forcefully of the second time he'd come to Earth. He'd been oddly intrigued by Bulma, even with her frustrating comments. Such as calling him "Kinda cute" and "Homeboy".

He smiled to himself as he stepped into the shower, the steaming water invigorating him as he stood under the stream, head tilted upwards and eyes closed. "Just leaving your new clothes over here, k?" Bulma sang out to him, resting his clothes on top of the laundry basket in the corner of the room.

Several minutes later, as he turned off the water and began to step out of the shower, another memory came to the Prince. It made him smile just thinking about and years ago, stepping out of this same shower. Bulma had left him some clothes to wear. Including a shirt that had been...

"Pink?" There was more comical amusement in his shout than true anger this time. In the lounge room downstairs, Bulma did her best to stifle a giggle. His footsteps came down the stairs, and she put on the straightest face she could manage when she turned to look at him.

"Is this your idea of a joke?" He spoke angrily enough, but the corners of his mouth twitched in a smile. He shook the shirt in her directions, and began, "I'm a-"

"Warrior, not some variety of flower?" She finished for him, breaking out into a fit of giggles. Vegeta looked angry, but the grin ruined the effect. "Oh come on, put the damn shirt on. You'll catch a cold otherwise."

The Prince muttered darkly under his breath, beginning to button up the shirt. As he did so, the angry voice constantly questioned him. 'You've got what you needed, why are you still here?' It demanded furiously. He ignored it completely.

"Alright, I've put your stupid shirt on." He said, spreading his arms. "Happy now?" Bulma glanced over at him, pretending to swoon.

"Oh, my Prince!" She said sarcastically. "So handsome! How I do love that shade of pink on you! You look so masculine and tough!" She giggled again and got to her feet, Vegeta scowling heavily.

She walked past him, smiling brightly. "Lighten up, would ya?" She chuckled, patting his shoulder as she passed. Vegeta felt a swooping sensation in his stomach at her touch. Not an entirely unpleasant one, either.

"Where is Kakarot?" He asked after a few moments of silence. "Shouldn't he be back from his training by now?"

Bulma shook her head, taking a seat at the kitchen bench again. "No, he's gone to Other World for the day. Visiting King Kai or something." She looked over at him again, almost knowing what he was about to say next.

"Why?" He didn't have to say "Why Kakarot? Why him?" She understood perfectly. The blunette dropped her gaze to the table in front of her and let out a small sigh.

"You broke my heart, Vegeta." She said slowly, not looking up from her hands. "You abandoned me. That should be answer enough, I think."

The Prince felt ashamed of himself. For the first time since his departure. Even the cruel, ruthless voice that spoke to him whenever he regretted his actions dissuade him from feeling so wretched.

"I'm sorry... For leaving." He said quietly.

"Why? Why did you leave?" Bulma looked up at him. Her gaze was firm, but there was a deep sadness hidden underneath.

"I don't know..." It was a lame reply. He knew that. But he honestly didn't know why he left in the first place. Not any more.

Bulma rose again, walking over to Vegeta and laying a hand on his arm. "You shouldn't have gone." She said, looking up at him sadly.

The voice in his head seemed to scream at him. 'You idiot, you really think she's going to take you back? You think she's being sincere? Fool! She's toying with you! She's chosen Kakarot, that much is obvious to anyone with half a brain!' He couldn't help but see the voice's logic.

"I should go." he said abruptly, pulling his arm away from her touch and moving away towards the door. "Thank you for fixing my ship."

"Please, don't go..." Bulma reached out to him as he walked away, feeling hot tears spilling down her cheeks. "You don't have to go anywhere."

He didn't say a word, just kept on walking. Not looking back (if he did, he doubted he would have had the resolve to leave), and headed towards his ship on the far side of the lawn.

Bulma pressed a hand to her mouth and sank to the ground with her back to the wall. The tears flowed freely as she watched Vegeta first return his ship to capsule form, then shoot off into the skies without a backwards glance.

A miniature war was being waged in the Prince's mind, and when he had passed over the city limits, he could take no more of it. "SHUT UP!" he shouted, grasping the sides of his head. "SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" He turned on the jets, crashing through a mountain range, plunging through a thick forest. When he shot back into the skies, tears of mingled fury and misery streamed out behind him, glittering in the skies like falling diamonds.

At the edge of the world, in a cold and lonely region called Yanzabit Heights, a Dragonball gleamed from a tuft of grass. There was something... Wrong with it, however. Bright orange cracks ran along it's entire surface.

The wind howled suddenly, and a shadow figure in the darkness landed next to it. A long, thin fingered hand reached down and plucked it from the icy tundra. The pale grey hand lifted it, and a pair of pinkish eyes examined it carefully.

With little prior knowledge of the Dragonballs, this being could have no idea that something was amiss. He simply tittered lightly, tossing the ball up and catching it again. "With your help..." He said quietly to the Dragonball. "... I truly shall become, the perfect being."

- Part 2. "A New Arrival." -  
>((NOTE: The Character "Cale" is an original character, created by Christian Gillespie.))<p>

The Ship glowed red hot as it entered the atmosphere, shaking violently with the force of entry. The man inside had his eyes squeezed shut; landing was never a pleasant thing. This time was no different.

There was nobody around for miles to witness the impact. The ground shook, dust and rocks kicked up, and the vessel lay at the bottom of a deep crater. After a few moments, the door swung open, the ramp was lowered, and a tall, lean Saiyan walked out.

He rose into the air, eyes darting around him as he took in the surrounds. "Planet Earth, huh?" He muttered as he came to a halt, high above the crater, the strong breeze ruffling his spiky jet black hair. "Nice." The lush, green surrounds were not the only thing that caught the Saiyan's attention, though. "Hell of a lot'a strong people here."

Indeed, there were many high powerlevels on Earth. He also noticed that around 3 or 4 of them were even higher than his own. One in particular, he noticed, was the highest he'd ever felt. 'That's a Saiyan.' He thought to himself. Strapping his longsword, Edge, to his back, he prepared to leave.

Pressing two fingers to his forehead, he honed in on that gigantic power, and disappeared. Would it be Goku, the one he had been searching for? If the tales were true, only Goku would have such a high energy.

He shifted back into reality and stared at a figure around 20 feet away, back turned to him. The Saiyan's first (and rather foolish) thought was that the man before him was King Vegeta. But no, this man was at least a head too short to be the King. Stockier as well, and King Vegeta's power had never been so radical.

"I felt your energy as soon as I arrived... Who are you?" He asked, taking a slight step forwards towards the man.

Prince Vegeta turned and looked at him sidelong, sparing a quick glance at his armor and tail. "I am Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans." He said impressively.

The younger man's eyes snapped wide open. How could this be possible. "M-my Prince!" he stammered. "But I thought you died when the planet was destroyed?" Nevertheless, he dropped to a knee and pressed a fist to his chest.

The Prince was both pleased and puzzled by this greeting. Here was a full-blooded Saiyan, only 18 or 19 by the look of him, who not only knew who he was, but also claimed to know of Vegeta's destruction. "Who are you?" He asked quizzically, lifting an eyebrow. "And how do you know about Planet Vegeta?"

"My name is Cale." Said the Saiyan, rising. "This may seem strange, but I was born around the same time as you. My brother and I spent the best part of the last 40 or 50 years in stasis, that is why I appear to be so young.

"Interesting..." Vegeta said, nodding slowly. "And where have you been for the last 15 years? What brings you to Earth?"

"I have been living on the planet Yardrat, Prince." he explained. "My brother and I were told tales there of a Saiyan called Goku who lived with them for some time." The Prince's eye twitched slightly at the mention of 'Goku'. "And the reason I came to Earth is that my Brother set out a few years ago to track down the remaining Saiyans left in the Galaxy. He said that he would venture to planet Earth to find Goku. But I haven't heard from him in quite some time."

"Give up on finding the Saiyans, kid." said Vegeta shortly. "We're all that's left. You, me, and your brother, if he's still alive. Kakarot has lost all his pride, he's no longer a Saiyan."

Something didn't quite add up for Cale. "So... You would suggest I not even try to find the remainder of my race?" He ignored the Prince's comment about his brother's well being. Rek was alive, he could tell that much.

"That's precisely what I'm saying." Vegeta said with a nod. "I just told you, we're all that's left." What didn't the boy understand?

Cale shot him a slightly curious glance. "You've... You've looked, then?"

"No."

This was too much for Cale. He shook his head and closed his eyes, disbelief etched all over his face. "You introduce yourself as the Prince of Saiyans, yet you've not once tried to find your kin?" He simply couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You dare to question me?" Vegeta asked, eyes narrowing, voice dropping to a low, deadly almost-whisper.

"How can you call yourself a proud Saiyan if you have no desire to unite your race? Never even bothered to see if any of us were still alive?" Cale asked mutinously, lip twitching in an angry snarl. "The only pride you have is for yourself, and quite frankly, you're nothing to be pr-"

Vegeta had lifted Cale by the front of his armour and slammed his fist into the boy's stomach. "Save your morality tale for someone who actually gives a damn." He said softly, watching contentedly as Cale gasped for breath. "I suggest you leave. Now." With that, he threw the younger Saiyan to the ground, a cloud of dust kicking up around him.

But Cale wasn't going to take this lying down. Clutching his stomach, he stood. "You're pathetic." he said, his voice slightly wheezy. "A miserable excuse for a Saiyan."

"Spare me your sob story!" Vegeta snapped angrily, clenching a fist. "Now, either put up or shut up!" His blue aura exploded into life around him, and he glared at the younger man, daring him to try his luck.

"With the greatest pleasure, your Majesty." Cale snarled, shooting forward, drawing back a fist lined with silver Ki. He shouted as he swung it around towards Vegeta's arrogant face, but passed through nothing, as though the Prince were a ghost.

A sharp heel hit Cale in the back of the neck and sent him sprawling again, but the agile young warrior sprang from the ground and he leaped up. He spun in the air, seeking the elder Saiyan, but was sent back towards the ground by a short and heavy ki wave from above.

Cale hit the ground on all fours and rolled, hopping back to his feet. Swivelling on the spot, he thrust his arm towards Vegeta, but the Prince had gotten the drop on him again. A hand fasted vice-like around Cale's wrist and dragged him face first into a savagely swung fist. The young Saiyan's head rocked back, blood spurting from his nose, and Vegeta flung him into the skies.

Once again from above, Cale was peppered with multiple ki-waves, which exploded against him. Pain shot through his body and he slammed heavily into the ground once again. The Prince landed a few feet away, back turned. "I -am- going to kill you, you know that, don't you?" he asked calmly, staring at the horizon.

Cale pushed himself onto one knee, pressing two shaking fingers to his forehead. "Kill me? I doubt it." He said angrily. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got better things to do than listen to your arrogant mouth. Until next time, Prince."

Vegeta spun around furiously, but Cale was already gone. "You cowardly worm..." He muttered, seething with anger. "I'll kill you, mark my words."


	8. Chapter 7: The Light

**CHAPTER 7:** The Light.

-Part 1 – "Revenge Interrupted."-

"I need to get out of this rut!" Vegeta snarled angrily, punching through a solid boulder in frustration. Over the past week, he'd neglected training, barely slept, been sassed by a smart mouth punk Saiyan, and not attacked a single city. It had been a bad week, in short.

But what to do to cheer him up? He could fight Goku, but the Saiyan was away in other world. Training no doubt. He could hunt down that cocky kid (Dale? Cale?), but the boy had yet to resurface after their run in. Go off-world again? Ha! He'd find more of a challenge from the wolves and carnivorous dinosaurs that roamed the plains.

The Prince hadn't been this broody since he'd first returned to Earth, almost a year previously, when Gohan had... Wait... Gohan... "That's right, I owe Gohan a beating." He said quietly, cracking his knuckles and smirking maliciously. Just the thing to take his mind off whatever he was brooding about.

During his flight, he realised that he was quite lucky that Goku wasn't around. What with Vegeta's slothful behaviour and Goku's constant training, the Earth's hero would have skinned him alive if it came to a fight. But Gohan was just the jump start he needed. Pounding the half-breed brat into a pulp would put the spring back into his step. Or so he hoped.

'Revenge is a dish best served cold...' Those words floated back to him again, and he nodded, agreeing with himself. Just as he'd planned to originally, he'd force Gohan to watch as he made his wife and child bleed.

He landed shortly afterwards in Gohan's front yard. How best to handle this? Should he blast the house apart? Crash through the wall? Knock on the door? The last one seemed tempting. He'd probably say something witty, like 'Hello, can Gohan come out and play?' or something along those lines. Chuckling to himself, he decided that would be simply hilarious. Yes, he'd do that.

His hand was a few inches from rapping on the door when it swung open. The real shock came when he saw who had opened it. "Chasity?" he said, taking a small step back.

"Vegeta." She said, her usual jovial manner replaced by a scowling anger. Heavily pregnant, she glared at Vegeta from the doorway."Gohan's not home, so you may as well just get out of here."

"I just... I... You can't tell me what to do!" he snapped, standing his ground.

Just like the last time they saw one another her eyes began to well up with tears. Not out of sadness this time, but anger. "You vile, disgusting, hideous, rotten, evil MONSTER!" she yelled, advancing towards him. The Prince, surprisingly, took another hasty step back. "You make me sick! How dare you show up here?"

Vegeta bared his teeth in what he hoped was an intimidating glare. "I go where I please! This doesn't concern you at all, so why don't you just-"

Shocked, stunned, Vegeta reeled back from the slap, Chasity's hand print glowing red on his cheek. "I'm telling you what to do! Get the hell out of here! Don't come near Gohan, Videl and Pan again! Or me for that matter!"

Vegeta opened his mouth, shaking and swelling in rage. How dare she hit him? "I-" But the words were slapped from him again, and Vegeta wasn't surprised to feel blood trickling from his lip.

"Leave now, before I REALLY hurt you!" she almost shrieked, taking yet another step towards him. "I've never been so disgusted in my whole life! You... You..." Her eyes fluttered, a grimace of pain shooting across her face. For a moment, it seemed that her anger was grieving her, but almost immediately, she fell to the ground and clutched her stomach.

"Chasity? A-are you alright?" Vegeta stammered, his lust for vengeance quenched in a heartbeat. But Chasity could not respond. She let out a low moan and twitched on the ground.

The Prince acted without thinking. He scooped her up gently in his arms and shot into the air, knocking over Videl's neat picket fence as he flew. Praying he wasn't too late, he sped towards the city. "It'll be alright, just hold on..."

In no time at all, he came to a halt just outside the hospital, floating in the air. He directed his palm towards the building, and blasted a sizeable hole in the wall. Luckily, no one had been occupying the ward at the time, but Vegeta didn't care. All he was concerned with was Chasity's safety. If anything had happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.

After setting her on a nearby bed, Vegeta rushed from the room in search of a doctor. Before long, Vegeta's raised voice could be heard in the corridor. "I don't care if she's not on the list!" The doctor got half way through a muttered reply before he was interrupted. "To hell with your damnable regulations and processes, my Daughter needs help!"

The Doctor gave a frightened squeak as he was thrown bodily into the room. "And if anything happens to her, I'll make you wish you were never born!" With that, he slammed the doors closed and began to pace in the corridor.

He lost track of time as he paced to and fro, fretting over Chasity's condition. The Prince was furious with himself over what had happened. If anything happened to Chasity... Or Darcy...

Several nerve-wracking hours passed, Vegeta storming up and down the hall, fretting over the condition of Chasity and his unborn granddaughter.

"S-s-sir?" The nervy doctor came out of the ward, as a red light above the door flickered off. Vegeta was on him in a flash, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him roughly.

"You'd better have good news, or so help me!" he growled, glaring at the doctor, almost daring him to tell him otherwise.

"N-no, they're f-fine!" He stammered nervously, his moustache quivering in fright. "They're both f-fine! You can go in and see them if y-you like."

The Prince's dark eyes swept the man's face, as if trying to detect a lie in his features. When he was satisfied, he released his grip strode into the ward without another word.

Chasity sat propped up in the bed, looking rather tired but quite happy. She had been gazing out of the giant hole in the wall when she heard footsteps, then the doors swung open. She glanced around, a small smile forming on her face. "Hey Gramps." she said in a slightly tired voice. "Come and say hello to your granddaughter."

Vegeta's eyes fell to the violet haired baby cradled in Chasity's arms, a slightly nervous smile spreading across his own features. "Are you doing okay?" he asked, glancing up at Chasity as he walked over.

"A little tired, but fine." she said, leaning back and closing her eyes. When Vegeta made no move to come closer, she opened one of her eyes and glanced at him. "She's not gonna bite, ya know." The girl let out a light laugh at Vegeta's expression, then sat up with a sigh. "Here, meet Darcy."

"No, I don't think that's a -" he mumbled, his sentence ended as he awkwardly held the baby. Darcy opened her eyes, brightest blue, and looked up at the Prince. And with that one, small glance, Vegeta instantly adored her.

The hardened look in his eyes faded away, replaced by a soft, indulgent gaze. His originally nervous smile broadened and became warmer; it felt odd on his own face, in place of his usually arrogant smirk.

"Bad guy my ass." Chasity sat with her arms folded across her chest, a knowing and rather cheeky smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Excuse me?" asked Vegeta, raking his eyes away from Darcy, a frown trying to fight it's way past the smile.

The girl chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're no bad guy. Bad people don't go all dewy eyed over babies, Veggie-Kun." she teased.

I'm not... This..." The Prince sighed and shook his head, looking back down at Darcy. "She's gorgeous." he said quietly, the smile returning again.

Satisfied, Chasity laid back again. "Yep, just like her mom, right?" she asked with a smirk, raising her eyebrows.

"You were never even close." Vegeta taunted back.

A few moments went by, Chasity thinking carefully about her words. "Maybe..." she began slowly. "Maybe Darcy and I can come see you from time to time? Maybe you could drop by and visit her?" she asked tentatively.

Vegeta took brief moment to respond, a few conflicting thoughts running through his head. Eventually, he chose what he really wanted to say, not what he felt he should say. "I'd like that."

"And maybe..." Chasity began again, a playful smirk appearing on her features. "You wait until she can walk until you try to teach her how to fight?" Vegeta responded by turning to look at her, quirking an eyebrow.

The idea came to him that it wouldn't be long before everyone else turned up. Trunks, Bulma, Goku, Gohan, Goten... He didn't want to be around when they arrived. He carefully handed Darcy back to Chasity, and headed for the gaping hole in the wall. "Where are you going?" she asked, sitting up again.

"I don't want to be here when everyone else arrives. I'm sure you can understand." Honestly, he expected her to protest. To tell him that he was being ridiculous, that he should stay. He was therefore surprised when she didn't.

"I understand." she said with a nod in his direction. "Just... Don't disappear on me again, okay?"

Vegeta paused for a moment, preparing to head out of the window. He was on the verge of saying 'Okay', when he decided not to. He wasn't going to make any promises. An faint white aura glimmered around him, and he jumped, taking off into the skies without a backwards glance.

Chasity was somewhat disheartened by his departure, but nevertheless, he had been back. If only for a brief moment, the Vegeta she knew had returned.

-Part 2: "Where there's smoke..."-

The Great War of HFIL had taken it's toll on Other World. With the amount of powerful warriors being banished to the netherrealm, it was inevitable that some form of battle would commence. And battles there had been.

As the fighting progressed, two clear sides had formed. On one side were the Saiyans; Raditz, Nappa, Turles and a handful of others, accompanied by Turles' Crusher Corps and several packs of pyschopathic Saibamen. On the other side, Cell and Frieza.

The two juggernauts had enlisted the services of The Ginyu Force, Cooler's Armored Squadron (Lord Cooler himself was nowhere to be found), Garlic Junior's Makyan Elites, and other lesser fighters. And in the early stages of the war, it seemed that the Saiyans would be forever the whipping boys of the Afterlife.

But the inability to actually die, coupled with the Saiyan's ability to increase power after each battle, they slowly began to turn the tide. So much, in fact, that only Cell and Frieza could handle them. Broly himself took no sides, merely blasting anyone who came within arms reach of him. But the Saiyans saw enough of him to learn that the power of a Super Saiyan was what they needed.

Within a few years of the commencement of the war, all 3 ringleaders of the impromptu Saiyan force had ascended. They now had power to rival that of Cell himself, when fighting as a unit. But the war was threatening to tear apart the very world it had begun in.

King Yemma had made the decision to bring about an end to the chaos. Enlisting the services of Pikkon, Olibu, and other fighters from Grand Kai's planet, order was restored. Both opposing sides were banished to separate sides of hell, and the conflict ended.

The war, however, caused many further problems. Escapees.

The first to escape had been the evil wizard, Babidi. He and several henchmen (namely Pui Pui, Yakon and Dabura) had fled the realm in the confusion and chaos in the opening skirmishes. He had passed under the very nose of King Yemma, even avoiding the watchful vigilance of the Kais.

The second runaway had been Garlic Junior's henchmen. They had tried to escape when Pikkon and the other members of Other World's police force had swept through hell. They made it as far as the Check-In station, but were thwarted Olibu.

Most disturbingly, Cell too, had escaped. He had made his getaway when the barrier between the opposing sides of HFIL had been created. The energy required to make such a barrier had left a fatal flaw in the realm, giving the android an escape route.

Cell's freedom had gone unnoticed, the door between worlds remained open.

The Perfect Being had wasted little time, heading straight for planet Earth. But his revenge would not be extracted immediately. The cells of Vegeta incorporated into his design meant that he was smart. More than one fighter on this rock had power that far eclipsed his own, even after years of fighting in Hell. He'd need an advantage. Being indestructible sounded like it would do the job nicely.

Within a a year of arriving on the planet, Cell had assembled all of the Dragonballs. He could almost taste his moment in the air. If only he knew what the fine cracks running along the Dragonballs' usually flawless surface meant. Maybe he wouldn't have attempted to find them in the first place.

"Come forth Dragon!" he called, trembling slightly as the sky darkened overhead. "Grant me my wish!"

Rather than the bright golden light that sprung up from the ground which heralded Shenron's arrival, a gigantic plume of dark smoke billowed into the skies. The column twisted like a vast tempest, and a pair of bright crimson eyes glared into sight.

The shroud began to take form, twisting into the shape of a huge Dragon. But it wasn't Shenron. This Dragon was evil.

The black dragon yawned and stretched as it took final form, then fixed it's eyes on the android below. It's long, thin whiskers twitched with malicious glee. "Well, would you look at that." It rumbled in it's low, gravelly voice. "A little green grasshopper man. How bizarre."

Cell's face, originally shining with anticipation, turned into an outraged glare. "How dare you!" he cried, fists shaking with anger. "I am no grashopper! I am Cell! The Perfect Being! I demand some respect, Shenron!"

The Dragon let out a rolling boom of laughter which made the ground shake. "Shenron? Oh boy, that's a good one." He twirled his clawed fingers in the air, and a cigar the size of a tanker truck popped into existence. "Sorry to burst your bubble, grasshopper man, but I ain't Shenron."

Cell seemed slightly put out by this. His programming told him that once the seven dragonballs were collected and gathered together, Shenron, the Eternal Dragon, would appear and grant any wish he desired. Perhaps Dr. Gero had made an error. Yes, that had to be it. He'd gathered the Dragonballs, and a dragon had appeared. Perhaps the good doctor had mixed up the name.

"Well, whoever the hell you are, I have a wish!" he yelled. "I wish for one cell in my body to become indestructible!" This wish would truly make him invincible, for all it took was one cell in his body to survive, and he would be able to regenerate his entire form. And if that one cell happened to be un-destroyable, well, he'd be as good as immortal.

"Sorry bub." said the dragon, the cigar clamped between it's fearsome jaws. "I told ya, I ain't Shenron, which means..." he clicked his fingers, a flame appearing at the tip of his claw. Plumes of smoke rose from the tip of the cigar, and he shook his finger, extinguishing the flame. "Which means, I ain't in the wish grantin' business."

"B-but, but this is absurd!" Cell's indignation was insurmountable. This had to be a bad dream. "You collect the dragonballs, you summon the dragon, you get your wish! Now, grant me my bloody wish!"

The dark Shenron's head was bathed in smoke, as he puffed on the cigar. "Nope. No can do. I'm a busy dragon. I've got a world to bathe in darkness, no time to grant wishes for little grasshopper men." He smirked darkly, looking down at the vein bulging in Cell's temple. "But say, you're pretty strong for a little bug. And you've got a nice, black heart. I could put you to use." He swooped down, halting with his dreadful maw a few feet from Cell's furious face. His eyes narrowed, and he blew out a thick, black cloud of cigar smoke. "What do you say, pal? Want to be more powerful than you ever dreamed of being?" His red eyes flashed, as he poked Cell in the chest with a long, clawed finger.

Cell coughed and waved his hand in front of his face, trying to rid himself of the toxic smelling and rather vile fumes. And he didn't like being poked in the chest, at all. But, the Dragon's words intrigued him. "More powerful than I've ever dreamed?" he asked. "I doubt you could grant that. My dreams of power are limitless."

"Take whatever you think is possible and triple it. At the least." The Dragon responded without hesitation. Cell tilted his head back slightly, his attention piqued. "What do you say?"

"Why would you offer me this?" There had to be a catch.

"My... children, you could call them, for lack of a better word. They are coming to blanket this world in shadows for the rest of eternity. But, even with your puny, mortal brain, I'm sure you've noticed that there's a bucket-full of tough guys on this planet. The Shadow Dragons are going to need a hand. And with my help, you could help them. Capiche?"

Cell nodded; Yes, he understood perfectly. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. "Sure. We have a deal."

"I thought you'd oblige." The Dragon uncoiled itself again, rising into the skies. "Now, brace yourself." His eyes flashed red, bathing the scene in a crimson glow. Then Cell was enveloped in a cylinder of light.

He felt energy coursing through his veins, and he yelled loudly as his body began to stretch and distort. Higher and higher his power rose, until he thought he was about to explode from within. He was on the verge of screeching out a plea for this to stop, when the cylinder disappeared, and Cell fell to his knees, shaking.

"Welcome to the service of Blacksmoke Shenron and the Shadow Dragons." called the Dragon, twisting his whiskers around his fingers. "How's it feel there champ?"

Cell stood, examining his own hands, turning them over, flexing them. His power had increased dramatically, almost unbelievably. Not to mention the outward changes; The hues of his skin were much darker, and his eyes were now heavily rimmed in black with blood-red irises. "I feel... I..."

"Feel incredible?" Shenron snorted with laughter, patting Cell on the head like a well behaved puppy. "You're welcome." Usually, the android would have been infuriated by this. But now, he was too enthralled with his own power. "Now, down to business. The Shadow Dragons will be appearing soon. When they arrive, you are to extend them every bit of assistance you can. When the Saiyans are dead and gone, I release you from your service. Clear?"

Cell continued to stare at his hands for a moment longer, as if he'd never seen anything more interesting in his entire life. But, he heard Blacksmoke's words. "As crystal."

Satisfied, Blacksmoke nodded, and the now blue dragonballs rose into the air around him. His form began to dissolved again into the tempest of smoke, and only the glimmering afterimage of his eyes remained.

"Await the arrival of the Shadow Dragons..." he called one last time, before the Dragonballs shot off to all the corners of the earth.

Cell stood there for quite some time, still staring down at his long fingered hands. He hardly dared to believe the power now coursing through him. Was it enough to destroy the Saiyans? Maybe.

Blacksmoke would pay for his disrespect. Cell knew that much. "I'm going to tear his heart out." he said darkly, blood-red eyes gazing directly in front of him. "And I'm going to eat it."


	9. Chapter 8: The Common Enemy

**CHAPTER EIGHT:** The Common Enemy.

-Part 1. "Partners In Crime."-

They had all felt it when Cell's power had erupted suddenly and violently. How could they have missed it? It had been immense and wild, if not only very brief.

None of them had seen it for what it really was, though. They had all thought it was Vegeta, training alone in some far-flung neck of the woods. Vegeta himself had thought it was Goku, returning from Other World to show off his new strength. Even the Kais had failed to notice that Cell was now plaguing the Earth again.

It was only a matter of time until someone ran into Cell. That someone, just so happened to be Chasity.

This was her first real day out since Darcy had been born a few months before. Trunks and Bulma had agreed to take care of the girl so that Chasity could stretch her legs, and she had a bright smile on her face as she zoomed through the skies, rolling and tumbling amidst the clouds.

Since his meeting with Blacksmoke, Cell had barely moved a muscle. He stood on a high precipice, much like Vegeta would do in times of brooding thoughtfulness. But the anrdoid was not brooding. He was merely in awe of his strength.

The Dragon had been right; It was beyond his wildest dreams. Far greater than anything he could have imagined. A small stone lay on the edge of the drop, and Cell nudged it over the cascading cliff with his foot. It bounced off the wall a few times as it hurtled to the ground, and the android smiled to himself.

"Is that Veggie up ahead?" Chasity thought out loud, squinting her eyes and staring at the far-off peaks, crowned with thick black storm clouds. It sure felt like his energy. But then again, it also felt a little like her father's. And Piccolo's as well, now that she thought on it.

"I think I'm going crazy..." she muttered, because it also felt like Tien, Yamcha and Krillin were there as well. She knew for a fact, however, that Tien and Yamcha were at Kame House that day. And her unofficial Uncles didn't have such... Black presences.

Being her Father's daughter, she wasn't going to be satisfied until she had checked it out for herself, so she turned on the jets and headed straight towards Cell, straight into the hands of the devil.

"Seems I've been found." Cell muttered with dark amusement. Finally, they noticed him. The energy felt strong, quite strong indeed. Stronger, he'd wager, than Gohan had been when he'd met his demise. A brief fear swept him, but he shook it away easily enough. Even before his pact with Blacksmoke, he could have beaten the likes of Gohan with both hands tied behind his back. And now, with his new found power, not even Goku could stand up to him. Or so he believed.

Chasity was the one who made visual contact first, as Cell's eyes were still downcast when she swept low over the mountains. She landed a short distance from him, eyeing him curiously. "Who are you?" she asked, staring at the bug-like creature.

"I, am perfection." He replied, closing his dark-rimmed eyes, smiling in a self-satisfied way. As if to illustrate his point, he allowed his black aura to flash vividly.

Chasity scrunched her nose up, looking more than a little confused. "Perfection? Hmm..." She placed her hands on her hips, leaning forwards slightly, examining the creature. "You don't look very perfect to me, Mr. Perfection. Ya look more like a cricket!"

Cell's eyes snapped open and fixed the girl with a cold, penetrating stare. Her teasing smile was wiped instantly from her face, replaced with a look of fright. "Watch your words, girly." he said quietly. "They may just be your last."

The tone of his voice was icy, emotionless. Much more frightening than if he'd screamed it like a maniac. His red eyes bored into hers, trying to read her. "Why is your energy so familiar to me?" he asked in that same, flat, evil voice.

The word 'perfection' had been playing on Chasity's mind ever since he'd said it. She remembered Gohan telling her a story about when he'd fought a psychotic machine, built to be the perfect warrior. This android's name had been... "Cell!" she said quietly, eyes widening. "You're Cell."

"And you must be some relation to Gohan." he said with calculation, taking a short step towards her. "Hmm... Too old to be his daughter... To similar to be a cousin... His sister."

He took another menacing step towards her, and Chasity jumped back, assuming her martial arts pose. "Stay away from me and my family!" she said defiantly.

Meanwhile, not too far away, another ghost from the past had found it's way to Earth. The Icejin, Frieza, stood out in the barren wastes, gazing around with a disgusted look on his wicked features.

"Now... Where are you?" he thought aloud, cursing his inability to sense energy readings. Even after bulking up in HFIL, he still lacked that very simple yet highly prized talent. Yet Lady Luck seemed to smile on the former Emperor that day, as a small object (kicked up by the sudden breeze) bounced into his path.

"Never look a gift horse in the mouth." he said softly, staring in disbelief at the scouter at his feet. This scouter had once belonged to the Saiyan Nappa, and the sun reflected off the green lens brightly. He picked it up and fixed it over his eye, tapping it, instantly locating Cell's power-level. "There you are." he said with content, lifting into the air and shooting off towards his former comrade, a sonic boom issuing from his point of take off.

Cell felt the Icejin heading towards then and smirked darkly. He knew it would only be a matter of time before Frieza had followed his lead and escaped the bowels of Other World. And he couldn't help but admire Frieza's excellent timing.

"Wh-what's that?" Chasity asked, quickly glancing over her shoulder, then snapping her gaze back to Cell.

"Just a friend, dropping by." he said airily, advancing on Chasity again. "But never mind that. I believe you were about to stop me from harming you or your family?"

Chasity growled low, baring her teeth. Cell was powerful, extremely powerful. Not to mention that she, Chasity, was out of practice, and hadn't fought in a very long time. But that didn't mean she was going to roll over and let Cell harm the Earth. Her hair stood on end, turning deep golden, aura bursting around her. "That's right!" she shouted at the monster. "I'm going to end you, here and now!"

Cell was unprepared for this sudden attack, and was rocked by a hefty blow to the jaw. He shot backwards, crashing through an overhanging rock formation, correcting himself with a snarl.

Chasity was on him in a flash, swinging a kick towards the side of his head, but Cell, this time was ready. His arm came up, blocking the kick, and returned with a kick of his own. The girl took the kick, but came straight back at him, throwing a fast volley of kicks and punches.

'How is she keeping up with me?' Cell thought furiously, ducking and weaving between the attacks. Although he was avoiding the blows, he hadn't spotted an opening; Chasity's form was practically flawless.

The Android was again rocked by a savage punch to the jaw, and he flipped over, landing with his legs sprawled, one hand on the ground.

"Not so perfect now, huh?" Chasity asked, landing a short distance away, teal eyes staring into Cell's crimson ones. But the monster wasn't finished. He stood, adopting his stance.

Without warning, a thin beam of energy burst through Chasity's chest, the shot fired slyly from behind her. She had a moment to drop her gaze to the small, smoking wound and the blood blossoming across her shirt, before a three-toed foot slammed into the back of her skull, driving her face first into the ground.

"I've found the best way to deal with monkeys..." Frieza said in his soft, deadly, effeminate voice, "... Is to give them a good stomping every now and again." He leaned forwards, grinding Chasity's face into the rocky ground. "Don't you agree, Celly?"

Cell let out a dry chuckle, then brought his hands together a few times. "Bravo, my friend. Such a dramatic and well-timed entrance." The android chuckled again, walking over and giving Chasity a sharp kick in the ribs.

"You flatter me." replied the Icejin, smiling his wicked grin. "I see you've made some changes..." he took in Cell's new appearance, eyeing him curiously. "Care to explain?"

"It'll have to wait." Cell gazed towards the horizon, a concerned look on his face. "Vegeta is on the way. Trunks too, if my senses are correct."

"Are you sure?" asked Frieza, also shifting his eyes to the horizon. "I guess you're right. You usually are."

And he was right. The Prince was tearing through the skies, the ocean parting below him like Moses with the Red Sea. He'd taken off from his new training ground as soon as he'd felt Chasity's energy spike; It was then he realised that it wasn't Goku with her. He'd never ask her to train, not so soon after having Darcy.

Trunks too had noticed the spike, and smelled trouble immediately. The moment it happened, he jumped out of the window of the Capsule Corp building and headed in the same direction.

It wasn't until Vegeta's saw Trunk's aura trail off to his left that he realised that Trunks was on his way there as well. Neither man was happy about the other's presence, but both were willing to put aside their differences in a sort of unspoken agreement to help Chasity.

"We'd best leave." Cell said with a nod. "Vegeta may be too strong even for me. I'm not quite used to this new power yet."

"Y-you'll... n-never, get aw-way with... with this..." Chasity gasped for breath, the blood flowing freely from her wounded chest, a trickle of the crimson fluid dripping from her lip. She tried to stand, but slumped back to the ground immediately, her golden hair changing back to it's usual dark hue.

"Just watch us, sweetheart." Cell said cooly, and with a nod to Frieza, the wicked duo lifted off into the skies, away from the incoming Saiyan re-enforcements. Would they get away with it? Only time will tell.

- Part 2. "Throwing Down the Gauntlet." -

The Prince landed at the scene, closely followed by Trunks, and the pair began searching for Chasity. They were still operating under that unspoken agreement to set aside their differences until they found her. But it was a shaky truce at best.

Vegeta lifted off again, floating above the rocky ground. And then, he found her. "Chasity..." he landed beside her, noticing the shockingly large pool of blood surrounding her and gently turned her over, half raising her from the ground. "Are you alright? Chasity?"

The girls eyes fluttered open, and she struggled to show a weak smile. "H-hey Veggie..." she said softly. "F-fancy seeing... seeing you out here..."

Trunks landed a moment later, a look of stunned horror on his face. "No..." he half whispered, halting a few feet from them.

"Trunks." Vegeta said urgently over his shoulder. "Take her, get her help. That lunatic hermit's island isn't far from here. Take her there." He stood, picking Chasity up as gently as he could.

"Why?" Trunks demanded, now holding his wife and staring at his father. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to pay Cell and Frieza a little visit. I'm sure they've missed me." He said, trying to make sound dryly amused, but his anger kept bubbling to the surface.

"On your own?" Trunks questioned. He already knew the answer; Of course Vegeta was goig in alone. Since when didn't he do everything alone? But, he was his father. Furious with him or not, he couldn't just let him go. "I'm coming with you, just let me take Chasity-"

Before Trunks could finish, Vegeta's aura had erupted, and he had taken off after the murderous duo like a hurricane. Trunks grit his teeth in frustration. How could Vegeta be so pig-headed about this? Cell and Frieza had just mopped Chasity up like she was nothing at all. "Don't worry, Chas." he said quietly, turning away from the scene. "You're going to be all right, Master Roshi's isn't far from here."

"I just... hope Vegeta's going... to be okay." she said weakly, closing her eyes and clinging to Trunks' shirt. She wasn't in a good way at all.

The purple-haired youth lifted into the skies, headed for Master Roshi's island, praying that the old man had a senzu bean or two stashed somewhere there.

Vegeta, meanwhile, continued his rampage towards the twisted villains, silently vowing they'd pay for harming Chasity. So far ahead, Cell and Frieza felt his approach. "He's mad." Frieza said with a wry smile. "Think we did something to tick him off?"

"This is no laughing matter!" Cell said hotly, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of Vegeta's energy. "The girl is one thing, Vegeta is another. He might be too much for me to handle right now, and you..." he broke off, glancing at the Icejin. Frieza, whilst powerful in his own right, paled in comparison to Cell, even before Blacksmoke had given him new strength.

"I what?" Frieza asked slowly, quirking a brow. "You think I'm too weak to be much help, hmm? Did you not just see me take down a Super Saiyan without breaking a sweat?"

Cell reconsidered his words. Yes, it's true. He was much more powerful than he'd been when they first met. But was it enough?

"I can see you're still worried." Frieza said lightly. "It was going to be a surprise, but if it'll stop you looking like you're about to have kittens, then I'll tell you now. I can ascend to the 5th form, like my brother could."

"But... Didn't your brother..." Get destroyed by Goku years ago?

"Oh believe me, I'm much stronger than that fool ever was." Frieza said coolly. Narrowing his eyes.

"So be it. And you can get rid of that scouter, I can sense anyone approaching."

Frieza smirked slightly. He didn't trust Cell completely, even after their alliance during the war of HFIL. "No, I think I'll keep it. It compliments my eyes, you see."

Cell was no fool, and he could interpret Frieza's reasoning behind keeping the scouter. And honestly, he couldn't blame him. "All right. But I think we should wait for the Prince here. If you're as strong as you say, then we'll be able to handle him."

The pair descended and landed, and waited for Vegeta. The Prince noticed this, and was put out by it. Surely those two didn't think they were stronger than he was? If they did, they were in for a rude shock.

The fight between Cell, Frieza and Chasity had not gone unnoticed. Cale, the newest arrival to planet Earth, stepped out of his ship, eyes narrowing as he felt the powers of Chasity and Cell at war. Another power was approaching them from the south, and shortly after, the smaller of the 3 energies had all but faded.

There were two more energies now, heading for the same location. One of them he recognised as Vegeta. That was when he noticed yet ANOTHER power-level, somewhat lesser than his own, not too far away. Maybe this person would know what was going on, or if perhaps this was a normal thing for this planet. And, pressing two fingers to his forehead, he transmitted to a small gully, occupied by a single human.

Tien spun around when he felt the new power arrive, taking a fighting stance and staring at the Saiyan. "Who are you?" he said, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "And what do you know about that?" he jerked his head in the direction of the battle.

"I'm not here to harm anyone." he said, raising his hands defensively. "And that's what I came here to ask. I'm Cale, by the way."

Tien still eyed the Saiyan cautiously, but relaxed somewhat. He didn't seem or feel evil to the triclops. Not yet anyway. "Tien." He offered his name in response. "As far as I can tell, those two powers are Cell and Frieza, but they should be in the afterlife." A chill crept up Cale's spine at the mention of Frieza's name. "It seems as though Chasity found them first, but..." He broke off shaking his head.

"Back up a moment." Cale raised his hands again, this time to halt Tien's speech. "Frieza? The galactic tyrant, Frieza?"

"Yeah, seems he's broken out of Hell, along with Cell." He could read the confusion on his face, but didn't have time to explain. "All you need to know is that Cell is much more powerful than Frieza. Now, tell me. Do you have anything to do with this?"

Cale slowly shook his head, his face completely honest. "No, I arrived here a few days ago, looking for my brother. And then this happens."

"All right. I believe you." Tien did some quick thinking. His senses told him that Vegeta had now gone after Cell and Frieza alone, and that Trunks was returning to Kame House with Chasity. Maybe Vegeta had the strength to beat the duo. Maybe he didn't. If it was the latter, they'd need a back up plan. And they'd need as many able bodies as they could find. "I know it's a rough question." Tien began. "But, if things get out of hand, we may need your help."

He half expected Cale to refuse. "Sure, no problem." he said with a nod. "What's our first step?"

Tien was rather taken aback by Cale's readiness to lend a hand. But he carried on nonetheless. "We need to get all of us together. I'm sure you've noticed that there's quite a few capable fighters on this planet. We'll need all of us together, if we're going to meet this."

"All right, where to first? I'm able to use the Instant Transmission technique, so if you focus on someone, I can get us there in no time."

After quick consideration, he thought Kame House would be the best first stop. Yamcha, Krillin and #18 were all there, or would be there shortly. Not to mention Trunks and Chasity. "I'm ready." he said, closing his eyes and centring in on Yamcha's ki. Cale gripped Tien's shoulder, and transmitted them away.

Yamcha and Master Roshi were standing on the beach together, gazing North with identically troubled looks on their faces. "Man oh man, this is bad." Yamcha said, his voice shaky.

"Bad? That's the biggest understatement I've ever heard." Roshi replied in his usual quavering tones. "I don't think we've had a worse- Tien!"

The Hermit nearly fell over in shock as Tien and Cale appeared in their midst. Yamcha's eyes widened when he turned to look at the arrivals. "What the hell's going on?" he asked. "First, Cell and Frieza blast Chasity, then you turn up with a Saiyan!"

"Relax, Yamcha. This is Cale. Cale, Yamcha and Master Roshi." he made a quick introduction, then filled them in on the situation as best he could. "So, it seems Chasity and Trunks are on their way here, and Vegeta's gone off alone. We need to come up with a plan."

No one spoke up immediately. None of them quite knew what to do. Cale, however, was the one to offer advice first. "If I can make a suggestion..." he began somewhat uncertainly. "Your friend, Chasity, was it? She'll need help when she arrives. If Tien and I leave now with Yamcha, we'll be able to track down the others sooner."

"Yeah, that's a great idea." Tien said with a nod, impressed by Cale's resourcefulness already. "Master, can you stay behind and inform Trunks of what's gone on here? Tell him... Tell him to meet us whenever he can at the Lookout."

"You can count on me" said Roshi, his grip on his walking stick tightening.

"All right, let's do this." Tien's idea would be to find Gohan and Goten next. Krillin and #18 would get the message from Roshi or Trunks. And Goku was still in Other World. That was going to complicate things.

The trio vanished, leaving Roshi alone once more, awaiting Chasity and Trunks' arrival.

When Vegeta arrived at the scene, he found Cell and Frieza standing a short distance apart, looking up at him with almost identical, malicious grins. "Ah, Vegeta!" Cell boomed pompously, placing his hands on his hips. "How marvellous to see you again! You're looking well!"

The Prince's dark eyes swept the scene, and he descended, folding his arms and landing lightly on one foot, then the other. "I'm going to send you both back to Hell, right now." he said, voice deep and hate filled.

"Silly monkey." Frieza tittered, placing his slender hand over his mouth. "Don't you realise, that you simply don't stand a chance against us?"

"Shut it, Frieza." Vegeta snarled, not taking his eyes from Cell. "You're way out of your league here. Why don't you run along now, and let the big boys look after business?"

"Insolent rat. I'll kill you where you stand and turn your hide into a throw rug!" The Icejin stomped a few steps towards Vegeta, infuriated by his comments and his complete disregard. His hatred for Vegeta at that moment nearly eclipsed the amount he despised Goku.

Cell raised a hand, silencing Frieza mid-tirade. "Very well Vegeta, if that's how you wish to play. But surely, you can feel my power? Perhaps you should wait for Goku. That's what you normally do, isn't? Run your mouth until the REAL hero arrives?" Cell grinned wickedly, raising his eyebrows to the Prince.

"To hell with Kakarot." Vegeta said quietly, doing his best to ignore Cell's taunts. "And I'm no hero. I am, however, going to end your life."

"Please, don't be so foolish." Cell said in a low and tired-sounding voice. "You are an ant compared to me. Coming here was your biggest mistake to date."

"And underestimating the Prince of Saiyans was yours! A mistake you won't live long enough to regret!" His aura exploded brightly, a huge pillar of light erupting fro where he stood as his hair began shifting to golden. "I have become the greatest warrior in the universe! And I'll make you rue the day you came back here!" he shouted, the rock platform crumbling around him.

Cell and Frieza took a step back, shocked by Vegeta's strength. The Saiyan had never been this strong when Cell had last seen him. It was almost unbelievable. Cell wasn't so sure of himself any more.

Cale, far over the ocean, felt Vegeta's energy explode. T he sheer force and ferocity he felt from that being was enough to rivet his boots to the ground as he stared blankly towards the source. The youthful Saiyan knew there was no way to see it's origin, but his body couldn't move. Beside him, Tien and Yamcha seemed likewise affected.*

The realization that he was in way over his head impacted his mind with it's full force. Somewhere, deep within him, a part of Cale shook like a child.*

Tien's hand fell on Cale's shoulder, bringing him out of his reverie. The young saiyan was not surprised at all to feel Tien's hand shaking. "Come on, Cale, they're this way."

The trio continued, heading towards Gohan and Goten's position. The one question seemed to ring through their minds. "What would happen next?"

((NOTE: Paragraphs marked with "*" were directly written by Christian Gillespie.))


	10. Chapter 9: Resistance

**CHAPTER NINE:** Resistance

- Part 1. "Long Live The Prince." -

"Prepare yourself to return to Hell." Vegeta said coldly, clenching his fists as his Ki swelled rapidly. "Trust me, it's going to be exceedingly painful."

"Spare me your speeches." Cell growled, his lip twitching in frustration. There was no way Vegeta could have improved so much, his senses must be lying to him. Frieza too couldn't believe it. Even with his inability to sense energy, his whole body was trembling from the sheer power Vegeta was putting out.

"Very well then, we'll just skip to the part where I beat you to death." The Saiyan's aura exploded brightly again, and Cell reached his limits. With a yell, his own green and black aura exploded, and the mountain trembled as he charged towards Vegeta.

The Prince barely seemed to move, but Cell went flying, hurtling through trees and boulders on the way to the ground. His Ki swelled again as he rose and charged again, the two engaging in a brief exchange of blows before the android was once more sent to the ground. Cell's energy rose again, and this time, he managed to hold out a little longer before Vegeta's elbow slammed into his chin. The android was growing stronger, becoming accustomed to his new powers. But there was something wrong with the Prince.

Whilst Cell's power was increasing, Vegeta's seemed to be falling. He wasn't too concerned, really. He'd neglected his training for a few weeks now, it was to be expected that he wasn't at his peak. And even though Cell was gaining strength, Vegeta's far surpassed his.

The fight continued, Cell lasting longer each time before he was cast aside, but it was still very much a one sided affair. Until, that was, Frieza decided to throw his hat into the ring.

The Icejin was still stinging from the Prince's remarks, and his eyes narrowed as he watched the Android and the Saiyan in combat. Make light of Lord Frieza, would he? His power swelled, a purple aura surrounding him, and he began to grow. Huge spiked gauntlets appeared at his wrists, his shoulders broadening, his head mutating into ghastly shapes. His eyes turned completely red, and a shield slid over his smirking mouth. Frieza was ready to enter the battle.

The Prince remained oblivious, paying heed only to Cell and the ghostly voices in his head that even in this moment of combat refused to be silent. When Cell was once again stricken to the ground, Frieza raised a clenched fist, focussing on Vegeta. He opened his palm, a massive blast engulfing Vegeta's form.

"What?" Vegeta's arms sprang up, managing a shaky defence from the immense explosion. Nevertheless, he was rocked by the blast. Smoke coated his form, his eyes bulging and rage filled.

The momentary distraction allowed Cell to get the jump on him, pummelling the Saiyan in the jaw, but Vegeta retaliated quickly, seizing Cell by the throat and driving three sharp punches into his gut before casting him aside again.

"You miserable coward!" he shouted, charging towards the now not-so-cocky Icejin. "Thought you could pull a fast one on Prince Vegeta? I'll make you pay, all the way to the GRAVE!" Right before he could drive his fist between Frieza's stunned eyes, an unnoticed shout met his ears.

"Galick Gun Fire!" The purple wave rocked Vegeta, driving him sideways into the mountain. His own wave tore his upper Gi to tatters, and Cell smirked broadly as he landed beside Frieza. "Together?"

Frieza nodded and returned the smirk, both pointing their palms towards the rocky debris. Wave after wave exploded into the crumbling remains of the mountain, and it was a few moments before Vegeta's form shifted into view in the skies.

His body was adorned with scuffs and bloody wounds, breathing heavily. Battered, but not beaten. The gleam in his eyes spoke more loudly than any apparent damage could have. Now, however, he was fighting two immensely powerful beings. He'd have to fight smartly.

The duo attacked, Vegeta defending from both sides, managing to stay out of harms way, but not seeing any openings to attack. The Icejin and the Android were fighting harmoniously, with almost surgical precision. The Prince would have to try a new tactic, he'd have to split them up.

But the attacks kept coming, and Cell's power kept rising. Try as he might, Vegeta could not meet this climb. He had the feeling that his Super Saiyan 3 Form would do the job, but try as he might, the energy would not come.

So the tide of battle turned, the villains' hit and run tactics wearing Vegeta out until it became an all out frontal assault. The battered Prince's defensive efforts became weaker, and eventually, Cell landed the critical blow.

His fist, lined with black Ki energy, slammed into Vegeta's mouth, blood spraying in a sideways arc as he fell backwards. Immediately, Frieza's tail wrapped around his throat, choking him briefly before driving him into the ground. Vegeta's choked breath became a scream of pain when Cell's heel was driven into his spine.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Cell grinned, twisting his foot, savouring the sound of Vegeta's cries. "I must say Vegeta, I don't think I'll ever be as satisfied by another battle. This was simply too much fun."

Frieza landed next to them, returned to his original and sleeker form. "May I do the honors of killing this one?" he asked, smirking as Vegeta's golden hair faded to black again. "I want to watch the light leave his eyes."

"No, he's no threat to us." Cell said surprisingly. "There are far worse punishments than death. Let him go lick his wounds, feel his weakness, know that he failed. He is nothing, a pitiful excuse for a warrior."

Cell dug his heel in one last time, blood spurting from The Prince's coughing mouth. "The only true opposition we have is Goku. Vegeta is nothing."

These words caused more harm to the Prince than any wound could. It tore at his very soul, which had been bent upon surpassing the Earth's hero. Words drifted back to him, words that had come out of his very mouth barely 17 years ago. "... A warrior Prince, forever in the shadow of a low-level clown!" It seemed he would remain that forever. All the fight had left him.

-Part 2. "Differences Aside."

Gohan and Goten had noticed Vegeta's power-level spike, and they stood side by side in the woods near Mt. Pao, gazing towards the source. The two brothers were shocked, if not downright horrified by the energy he was putting out.

It was the amount necessarily, more the fact of how swiftly he had reached that level, that scared them. It seemed a mere fraction of what he was truly capable of. Gohan's keen senses then picked up 3 smaller power-levels, which had popped into range out of thin air. "Someone's coming." he said quietly to his younger sibling.

"Who? Do you recognise them? Is it Chasity? Is she okay?" Goten's voice was soft, but rather frantic. He was fretting over his sister's state, and had to be, at one stage, physically restrained from going out to save her.

"No, it's not Chas." Gohan replied, closing his eyes. "She's with Trunks, out near Kame House. She'll be fine, trust me. But there's three of them. Tien and Yamcha, unless I'm mistaken. And someone else... Someone I can't recognise."

"Trouble?" asked Goten, fists clenching. "Because if it's someone in league with Cell, I'd sure like to get my hands on them."

Gohan smiled a small, slightly troubled smile and placed his hand on Goten's shoulder. "It's fine, just relax. Tien and Yamcha wouldn't be with them if they were trying to hurt us. Let's wait and see."

The trio loomed into sight, flying low over the trees. Tien leading, Cale following close behind, and Yamcha bringing up the rear, a distrustful scowl on his face. He wasn't happy about their immediate alliance with Cale, despite Tien's trust of the Saiyan. He felt it a little too coincidental that Cell, Frieza and Cale all show themselves on the same day. But Yamcha would wait and see.

Tien hailed to the brothers, a little formally and bluntly, landing and approaching them. "I'm sure you've noticed that we've got company." The triclops said with a nod in Gohan's direction. Out of everyone present, Gohan alone had faced both Cell and Frieza.

"Yeah, we do. And more than just Cell and Frieza. Who's he?" Gohan asked sharply, flicking his eyes in Cale's direction.

"This is Cale. He's just arrived on Earth and has nothing to do with those monsters. You can take my word for it. Cale, this is Gohan and Goten, Goku's boys." A bunch of questions rose to Cale's lips at the mention of Goku's name, but held his tongue. Not now, he told himself. "Cale's going to lend a hand, if it comes to it. But for now, we need to get everyone together."

"Right. I'm going to assume that everyone noticed what happened to Chasity." Gohan said quietly, eyes briefly flicking to his younger brother's worried expression. "Who else have you seen? Where are we all meeting?"

"You two are the first we came to." Said Yamcha, still glowering slightly. "Master Roshi is going to fill Trunks and Chasity in on everything once she's all better, and we're pretty sure that Krillin and 18 are on their way now. They'll all know soon."

"It's only you two, Piccolo and Goku who don't know about this." Tien added. "And we're all meeting at the lookout. It seems fitting enough."

Suddenly, Goten's aura flared, his face tautened, and he took off at a run. "I'm going to make sure Chasity's okay!" he shouted over his shoulder and leaped into the air, grief etched into his features.

"Goten! Wait! We need to..." Gohan made to run after him, but Tien stood in front of him, stating that they needed to act swiftly.

"Let him go. It'll be alright." He said sympathetically. "What we need to do now is come up with a plan. At least until Goku arrives. He sure picked a bad time to go on vacation."

The quartet spoke briefly for a few more moments, when Vegeta's energy signal seemed to take a nose dive. "Whoa, not good..." Gohan muttered, eyes widening.

"Is that... Vegeta?" Cale asked, spinning around and staring off towards the horizon. It seemed impossible that he could be beaten, what with the massive surge of energy he felt before, and experiencing Vegeta's fighting first hand.

"That WAS Vegeta..." Yamcha corrected him, also staring, transfixed.

A few moments of silence passed, and the powers of Cell and Frieza took flight, leaving the scene. A mere trace of Vegeta's energy remained, flickering like a candle about to be extinguished. "I think he's still alive." Cale glanced back over his shoulder at the others. "C'mon, we can still get to him in time."

None of them made a move. All three had a vivid hatred of Vegeta; Tien, for Vegeta's betrayal and constant attacks. Gohan, for threatening his family. And Yamcha, for similar reasons. But it was true, Vegeta had tried to destroy Cell and Frieza, apparently, for harming Chasity. Someone they all considered family.

"All right, I'll come with you." Tien said with a firm nod, walking towards Cale. "Yamcha and Gohan, find Piccolo, fill him in on what's going on, and we'll meet back at Kami's."

Gohan and Yamcha took off, Cale and Tien vanishing into thin air. The sight that met their eyes was like that out of a horror movie.

The blackened ground was cracked and broken, fires burning across the hills. What had once been a tranquil forest mountain was now a shattered wasteland, the twisted corpses of burnt trees dotting the landscape. Several gigantic craters were scattered around the area, and at the very bottom one, laying face down in a pool of his own blood, was the Prince.

No strength remained within him. Each breath was an eternity of agony. Still, however, the conflicting thoughts in his head still chatted incessantly, coupled with the misery of failure.

"Vegeta, can you hear me?" Tien asked none too kindly as he landed and rolled Vegeta over on to his back. One dark eye opened and stared up, and Tien was hit by a sudden desire to wipe the Prince's life from his body.

"He's in a bad way." Cale muttered, kneeling beside him, feeling only concern for the man who had sworn to kill him. "I don't think he'd be up for Transmission, it might do more harm then good."

Tien grunted in response, looking around, trying not to pity the broken man at his feet. "I can carry him, the lookout isn't far. You should meet up with Gohan and Yamcha, take them to Kami's. They can direct you."

"But what if Cell and Frieza show up?" Cale had a surprisingly quick grasp for the dire situation at hand. "Can you hold your own?"

"Not really, not against them. But they won't show up. They're miles from here, and if they came back to finish him off, I'll be at the lookout long before they arrive."

"If you're sure, then." Cale nodded and stood, adjusting the longsword at his back and pressing his fingers to his forehead. "I'll keep an eye on things. If I sense those two getting close to you, I'll come back for you." His form shifted, and then vanished, leaving Tien alone with Vegeta.

Many scathing comments came to mind, but Tien repressed them, simply picking Vegeta up and throwing him over his shoulder (none too gently). The Triclops felt rather satisified at the sound of Vegeta's wince of pain when they took off, but was willing to let the past be the past. For now.


	11. Chapter 10: We Need A Hero

**CHAPTER TEN:** We need a hero.

-Part 1. "Fear: Instilled."

Trunks' face was solemn and grave as Master Roshi filled him on the recent events, sitting on the edge of the couch beside Chasity. Two senzu beans had helped her condition greatly, her wounds had healed, and she was now snoozing lightly, resting.

"And you trust this Saiyan?" asked Trunks, running his fingers distractedly through his purple hair. "Just like that?"

"Tien vouched for him, and I trust Tien." replied the Hermit. "At any rate, we could use another fighter on our side."

"Especially since my father couldn't defeat them." Trunks was in two minds over Vegeta's defeat. He was darkly satisfied by the thought that arrogant bastard had been beaten, but the fact remained that he was his father.

The pair sat in silence for a few moments, when the door to the house was thrown open so hard that it rattled on it's hinges. Hurried footsteps raced down the hall, and Goten burst into the living room, wide-eyed and shocked. "Trunks, Master Roshi!" he said in an urgent whisper, gazing breifly at them. "Is Chasity... Is she okay?"

"She's just fine, sonny." Roshi replied, taking a seat and resting his walking stick against the wall. "She'll need some rest, but she'll be alright. Just relax."

Goten uttered a low, relieved sigh and sank into the nearest chair. "So, what next?" he asked, looking between Trunks and the Turtle Hermit.

"When Krillin and 18 arrive, you're all going to meet at the Lookout, and decide what to do from there. Perhaps Dende can get in touch with Goku, it seems we need him more than ever."

Sure enough, a short time later, an air-car could be heard approaching the island. The three men rose, walking outside just in time to see Krillin and 18 walking towards the house, wearing rather grim faces.

Far away, Cell and Frieza had stopped in a small gully by a stream. "We should have killed him, you know." Frieza said rather irritably, folding his arms and frowning at Cell. "That decision may come back to haunt you."

"Come now Frieza." Cell replied, kneeling by the stream and lifting a few handfuls of the cool water to his mouth. "I know Saiyans get stronger after every fight, but it won't matter with Vegeta."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You didn't notice at all that Vegeta's mind and energy was all over the place? He couldn't focus on anything. There's something wrong with him."

"You mean... Ah, we have company." Frieza smiled grimly and nodded above and behind Cell, towards the being standing on a slight rocky rise in the ground.

A tall, broad, bulky white creature gazed down at them, the huge black spikes on it's arms and back glinting in the sunlight. No smile, dark or otherwise, was apparent on it's face. Just wicked intelligence. A dark, cracked orb was set in it's forehead; the One-Star Dragonball.

"Can I help you, beast?" Cell asked imperiously, having no idea just who he was speaking to. If he knew, he probably would have been more cautious.

"No." the Dragon said in it's deep voice. "But perhaps I can help YOU, Cell."

"Oh, would you look at that. It knows my name. Should I be scared, Frieza?" he asked, looking towards Frieza. The Icejin tittered lightly in response. "I need no help, not from you. Now begone, before I decide that the world would be a better place without you."

"Indeed?" The creature disappeared in the blinking of an eye, and suddenly, his powerful hand was around Cell's throat. The Android was lifted off the ground gasping for breath, and finally, the dragon smiled a smile that was far more terrifying than any savage glare. "In answer to your first question, grasshopper, yes. You should be very scared. Scared of the Shadow Dragons."

Cell kicked futilely against the the Dragon's torso, chopping with no effect at it's muscular arm, feeling the grip tighten. "L-let... me... g-go!" Cell demanded in a raspy voice, his face going blue from lack of air. "I... can't..."

"Breathe? Good. That way you won't be able to speak, and you can focus fully on my words." The grip was tightened again, to the point that Cell felt his neck would snap, then relaxed somewhat. "I am Syn Shenron, leader of the Shadow Dragons. And I come with a message. I hope you're paying attention."

Cell's eyes darted to Frieza, who stood transfixed and frozen, horrified by the scene. No help would come from the Icejin. So, Cell did his best to nod.

"Excellent. My message is this; Blacksmoke has noticed your companion, and strongly suggests that neither of you begin having any thoughts of mutiny of treachery. It would end badly. For the both of you. Do you understand me?"

"I... I have..." Cell choked for speech, indignation swelling inside him. Syn released his grasp, dropping Cell to the ground, where the android massaged his throat, taking in deep gulping breaths. "I have done nothing to suggest that I would betray him!" Cell said in a raspy voice. "Nothing at all!"

"Not yet." Replied Syn calmly. "This little visit was to ensure that you never do. I hope I have made my point sufficiently."

The Dragon did not wait for a response. He simply lifted slowly into the air, and took off, knocking trees over in his flight. Cell, meanwhile, was fuming.

"You could have done something other than just STAND there you idiot!" He shouted at Frieza, still massaging his throat. "We're supposed to be watching out for each other here!"

As soon as Syn Shenron had departed, Frieza had composed himself. He smirked, tracing a thin finger along his lips. "But I was enjoying myself too much. You should have seen your face." He laughed lightly. "And besides, I've saved you twice today. I'm tired of getting my hands dirty."

"Saved me? Utter nonsense!" Cell replied, shaking his head. "Come on, let's get the hell out of here."

"After you, oh fearless leader." Frieza replied slyly, following Cell's lead into the air.

At the same time, Piccolo stood at the edge of Kami's Lookout, gazing down upon the Earth. He had a troubled look on his green, slightly pointed face, and his white cape fluttered behind him in the breeze. "There's something big going on down there." he muttered to Dende, who stood a few feet behind him.

"It's that bad, you think?" The guardian asked quietly.

"No." replied Piccolo, closing his eyes and bowing his head. "I think it's much worse."

-Part 2. "And so, it begins."

Tien and Vegeta were the first to arrive at the Lookout. Dende and Mr. Popo rushed over to help, then began half carrying, half dragging him towards the Temple. He would need a considerable amount of healing and rest before he was fit to fight again.

"The others haven't arrived yet?" Tien asked Piccolo, watching the Guardian and the Djinni move away with the Prince.

"No, but your Saiyan friend is with them now. No doubt they will be here in a few moments." Piccolo strode again to the edge of the floating palace, and gazed over the drop. "We need to get in touch with Goku. Without him, I'm afraid we don't really stand a chance."

A split second later, Cale, Gohan and Yamcha appeared in their midst. Gohan was wearing a relieved smile; Even after being a stronger fighter than Piccolo for so long, something about the Namekian's presence made Gohan feel as though everything would be fine. "I thought you'd be here, Piccolo."

"Where else would I be?" Piccolo replied with a small smile. The smile left his face when his eyes shifted to Cale, however. He merely looked at him, as though sizing him up, trying to read his face.

Cale's face became slightly frustrated with the continually unwelcoming introductions. Everyone he had met so far had treated him like a possible villain, and even though he completely understood their situation, he still didn't like it one bit.

"Oh, this is Cale, Piccolo." Gohan offered, trying to cut the tense moment. "He's agreed to help us out against Cell and Frieza."

Piccolo turned and stared out over the edge of the drop. "When Dende returns we'll get in touch with Goku. There's something bigger going on, something worse than Cell and Frieza combined."

"What do you mean?" Asked Yamcha, who looked more than just a little worried. "Worse than those two? What could be worse?"

Just then, a figure appeared nearby. "Heeey guys!" Goku called cheerily, waving and walking towards them. "What's going on? Odd place for a party."

"Dad!" Gohan spun around, looking perplexed, happy and exasperated all at once. Tien and Yamcha were wearing identical smiles as they turned. Cale simply looked stunned.

"Nice of you to drop by, Goku." Piccolo said tensely, although the small smirk could be heard in his voice. Goku's timing was impeccable as always. "Not sure if you've noticed, but we have something of a crisis on our hands."

"Crisis?" Goku's smile faltered, as did everyone else's. "What's happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Everyone is okay. But Cell and Frieza have turned up. They've already taken Chasity and Vegeta down, but that isn't the worst part." Piccolo finally turned around, his smile completely gone. "There's something else out there, I'm sure of it. Something greater than Cell, Frieza, even Majin Buu."

Everyone present stared intensely towards the Namek, hanging on every word. "What is it?" Cale asked the question on everybody's mind.

"That, I do not know. All I know is that I have this feeling that soon, a force greater than anything we could have ever imagined is going to present itself, and I'm not sure if we'll be able to stop it."

Piccolo's grim words hung on the air, seeming to spread like a chill breeze. They hoped that this wasn't the case, but the Namekian was usually right about such things.

Chasity, Trunks, Krillin and 18 arrived a few hours later when the young demi-saiyan was fit to travel, and they too were given Piccolo's unhappy prophecies. They were a silent, brooding bunch; Even Cale, with his strong desire to speak with Goku sat deep in thought about what would happen next, and what part he would have to play.

It was decided that all they could do was wait and see what would happen next. Cell and Frieza were yet to resurface, and this new presence Piccolo foretold hadn't presented itself. All they could do, was wait.

It would be a few weeks until anything began to happen, until the Shadow Dragons reared their heads and began to burn the world. But for now, all was silent. It was the calm before the storm, and this storm would shake the Earth at it's very foundations.

None of them at that moment had any idea just what was going to happen, even Piccolo's ideas about this new threat were vague at best. But they could all feel it approaching, like deadly beast barring their path, waiting for them to come close enough.

They were all very subdued that evening, even Chasity, who was usually the loudest and most talkative person in any group.

Cale felt specially isolated, sitting alone by himself, lost in his own thoughts. His search for his brother had gone from bad to worse. He hoped that he'd catch a break sooner or later.

Not long after sunset, the Prince strode out of the temple, ignoring Dende's insistence that he must rest and recover. "I need no such thing!" he growled, pushing the Guardian out of his way. He almost made it to the edge of the Lookout when he found his way barred by Goku.

"Don't be foolish, Vegeta, you're in no shape to fight." Goku said sternly. "Running off now won't do anyone any- Hey!"

The Prince pushed roughly past Goku. "Out of my way, Kakarot." He snarled, squaring his shoulders and striding past. "I have an appointment with Cell and Frieza."

"Vegeta! Listen!" Goku snapped, and to his surprise, Vegeta did indeed stop. "I know how you must be feeling, but charging off into a battle you're sure to lose isn't going to solve or accomplish anything."

"I am NOT a defenseless child!" Vegeta retorted angrily. Not only had Goku made him useless by outclassing him in battle, his WORDS were now accomplishing the same thing. "You'll see how 'sure to lose' I am when I mount Cell and Frieza's heads on my mantle piece!"

"You fool." said Goku quietly, shaking his head. "After all these years, you've learned nothing. Your arrogance is your biggest weakness."

Electricity crackled in the air around Vegeta, much as Goku's had done almost a year before. "And your stupidity is yours!" Vegeta retorted, shaking with rage. "I will defeat Cell and Frieza, ALONE, and then I am coming back for you!"

"Fine. You know what? Do what ever you like. I'm sick of trying with you." Goku threw his hands up and began walking away, half hoping Vegeta would strike him. If it came to a fight, maybe he could stop Vegeta from getting himself killed.

But the Prince didn't make any move against Goku. His aura blazed into life and he leaped over the edge of the lookout, hurtling towards the Earth. Part of him knew the truth in Goku's words. Another, much smaller part, also noticed that Goku was still looking out for him, as though they were friends.

Vegeta, however, didn't need friends. He relied on himself and his strength alone. And that was enough for him. But despite his boasting, Vegeta made no imminent move to track down Cell or Frieza. His hurt pride was paining him like a mortal wound.

He had left the Lookout and returned to his brooding place, far away from everyone and anyone. With the upcoming threat, nobody spared him a second thought. This didn't bother him in the slightest.

After Vegeta had left that night, everybody had gone home, deciding there was no point staying at the Lookout. And, it seemed, Cale would be the only one going alone.

Chasity saw him standing by himself, a little apart from the group, and felt rather annoyed that no one was speaking to this helpful newcomer. "Need a place to stay?" she asked brightly, walking over to him. "Cale, wasn't it?"

"Yes, and thank you, but I can stay in my ship. Are you feeling a better from your run in with Cell?" Cale asked.

"Oh, I'm just fine!" she said with a smile, winking and flipping him the peace sign. "It'll take more than that to keep this girl down!"

Cale laughed quietly, feeling the first real smile on his face since he'd arrived on this planet. "I can imagine, being Goku's daughter, right?"

"Yep, that's me!" she grinned. "Sure you don't want to stay with us for a while? Trunks and me, I mean. It must be pretty lonely out there by yourself."

The young Saiyan took one brief look at Trunks who was standing not too far away, scowling with his arms folded, before replying. "No, really, it's fine." he stated simply. "I wouldn't say no to a visit though, if you're ever out that way."

"Sure, I'll come say hi!" Chasity turned and walked, waving over her shoulder. "It was nice meeting you, Cale!"

"Yeah, you too." Cale said with a grin and a nod. But the grin faded away as his eyes met Trunks; The son of Vegeta seemed none too impressed with him.

That happy little bubble which had existed for a few minutes seemed to pop, and Cale left the Lookout in low spirits. He decided he'd stretch his legs and fly home tonight, rather than transmitting. Cale had his own thoughts bouncing around in his head, and he intended to tire himself out before bed.

The main question in his mind was 'Why do they hate me so much? It cannot simply be because of my Saiyan heritage, because most of the group are either full-blooded or half-blooded saiyans.' It troubled him to the point that he wanted to go and find Yamcha, and Trunks and give them a piece of his mind.

But that would do no good. It would reinforce the stereotype of an arrogant and hot-headed warrior; a title he had done his best to shed ever since childhood.

In the Capsule Corp building, Bulma sat awake by the window long after Goku had fallen asleep. She was deeply troubled by the news of Cell and Frieza's return, also fretting over Chasity's condition. And of course, she was worried about Vegeta.

She couldn't deny it, she missed him. Still cared about him. Of course, she knew that they were never going to be together again, but she still worried about him. "Please be okay." she whispered aloud, staring up at the stars one final time, her own mind full of conflicting and troubling thoughts.


	12. Chapter 11: Smog and Thunder

**CHAPTER ELEVEN:** Smog and Thunder

- Part 1. "Fresh Air."

The villagers who lived in the quaint forest town just outside of Ginger Town had no idea that they would be the first to experience the dreadful power of the Shadow Dragons. It began as no more than a toxic odour sweeping though the village. The people, not thinking too much about it, continued with their daily lives.

It wasn't until the lake turned black and thickened almost to the consistency of mud in an instant that they realised that something was dreadfully wrong. Fish rose to the surface, a poisonous chemical seeming to eat the meat off their bones even as they tried to leap from the polluted waters.

Not only this, but the trees withered and died before their eyes, bacterial fungi forming on everything green, seeming to sap the very life from the Earth.

Then, the Dragon came. It rose from the waters, slime and muck dripping from it's form, laughing hideously. More frog than dragon, the creature ransacked the village, destroying anything it's luminous, bulbous eyes fell upon.

From high above, Goku heard the screaming people, and witnessed them running through the dying trees. He swiftly descended, trying to speak to the terrified villages as they fled.

"Excuse me, but- Hey, what's-"

"DRAGON! THERE'S A DRAGON!" they screamed, not paying heed to the Saiyan. Merely trying to run for their lives.

The Earth's saviour shook his head in confusion. A dragon? Surely not. There weren't any Dragons he knew of, save Shenron. And the Eternal Dragon preferred to sleep, rather than terrorising innocent villagers. All the same, he progressed towards the village.

"Hey! Cut that out!" He shouted, sprinting into the town square, spying the froggish Dragon knocking down a statue in the middle of the village.

The Dragon spun around, it's yellow eyes spying the Saiyan. He chuckled low, cracking his knuckles. "Oh really? And what are you going to do about it, chump?" he taunted in his odd, croaky, two-toned voice.

"This!" Goku sprang forward, swinging his fist at the Dragon. To his surprise, the punch clobbered the beast, sending him crashing through a shop window and out the other side. "Ah..." Goku scratched his head and lifted into the air, dropping down behind the building and gazing in confusion at the Dragon emerging from the rubble. "Wow, I thought you'd be stronger than this."

The beast rubbed his head, eyes watering slightly, rising to his feet. "You just got the jump on me! I am Haze Shenron! Mightiest of the Shadow Dragons! None rival my unbelieveable powers!"

"... Shadow what now?" Goku asked, not fooled by the Dragons boasts. "What are you talking about?"

"The Shadow Dragons!" Haze repeated stomping his foot. "We were born from the negative energy formed with each wish granted by the Eternal Dragon!"

"Okay, but..." Goku scratched his head again. "We only ever used the Dragonballs for good. This doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to make sense, you dolt!" The Dragon called. "All you need to know is that we are unstoppable, and we will bring an eternal darkness upon the Earth!"

Goku's confused frown shifted suddenly to an intense stare, which made Haze stumble back a step. "As weak as you are, I'm not going to let you harm the people of this planet." Goku's aura erupted in a flash of blue, and he raced towards Haze. The Dragon barely had time to flinch, and he was sent flying again, crashing through walls and trees.

The Saiyan was on him again just as he stood, throwing several blurred punches into Haze's stomach and face, and when the Dragon stood a moment later, he spat a bloody fang onto the ground.

"No! Stop! Please!" He shouted, falling to his knees, tears leaking from his eyes as he clasped his hands in front of him.

"Why should I?" Goku demanded loudly. "You've threatened the Earth!"

"I promise I won't hurt anyone! Just l-l-let me goooo!" The Dragon blubbered like a hideous and over grown baby at Goku's feet. It was a miserable sight. But it was merely a ruse.

"You... whoa... I feel all lightheaded..." Goku's eyes opened and closed slowly and he shook his head. "You're a monster, and should be dealt with as... whoa..."

Haze smirked suddenly, rising to his feet and chuckling. "Not feeling so great hey hot shot?"

Then it hit him. This Dragon's strange power was draining him of energy. He had to act quickly. "Take this!" he shouted, springing towards Haze. But the beast simply stepped aside, lashing out with his tail and slapping Goku away.

"Face it, you can't handle my power!" He chortled, placing his hands on his rotund belly and laughing. "My beautiful pollution is sapping all of your energy!"

Goku rose, seeing stars, rubbing his head. "I... won't let you win!" he gasped, aura flaring briefly and then dying instantly.

Haze raced over to him, punching him in the centre of his forehead, and Goku fell back with a crash. The Dragon stooped and picked him up by his head, licking his lips. "I think I'm going to gobble you up for my dinner!" He laughed, shaking the Saiyan. "But, I think you're a little undercooked. A few hours in my delightful lake should soften you up, though!"

Goku was simply too drained to do anything but glare at the monster. There was nothing he could do, as the beast swung him around and around, lobbing him into the vile and disgusting lake.

Goku fell weakly through the murky, black waters, his eyes closing from the pain. His skin felt like it was on fire, and his body was being drained of all energy. But, somehow, the pain began to lessen. Was he dying? His other deaths had been so swift that he barely had time to reflect or react.

Gradually, he opened his eyes. And yes, the water was getting CLEARER! He kept drifting lower and lower, his outer Gi all but disintegrated, heading for (without realising it) a fresh water spring far below.

The fresh water, continually churning into the lake before being polluted and defiled, was rejuvenating the Saiyan. He felt he could almost breathe down here, and he began gathering his strength, his aura crackling around him, sending bubbles to the surface

Haze stood at the edge of the lake, nostrils flaring as he took in deep whiffs of the pungent odours. He seemed extremely content. That was, until the surface of the lake began to boil. "Hey! What's going on!"

Far below, Goku had a ball of energy cupped in his hands, focussing his energy. A burst of bubbles escaped his mouth as he fired it towards the vent, fresh water flooding the toxic lake.

A pillar of water erupted into the air; Clean, fresh water. Haze stumbled back, shocked and afraid, his horrid maw trembling in fright. A split second later, the first Super Saiyan for a thousand years shot into the skies, anger etched on his face. "Haze Shenron! Your pollution meets it's end today!"

The Dragon shrieked in fright, turning tail and running as fast as his legs could carry him. But even then, he knew it was all over.

The Super Saiyan cupped his hands at his side, a brilliantly bright orb of blue energy forming between his palms. "Kamehameha!" he roared, firing the powerful wave down towards the Dragon. Haze was caught up in the tremendous blast, his green form stretching and distorting, finally disappearing with a hideous shriek that echoed across the valley.

From within the smoky cloud, a Dragonball floated through the air towards Goku. The Super Saiyan caught it, observing it's once more flawless and orange radiance. "Well, that's over with." he muttered, his hair returning to it's usual black.

Meanwhile, not too far away, another Dragon had begun plaguing the Earth.

-Part 2. "A Shocking Discovery"

The streets of East City were deserted, the usually bustling metropolis now no more than a ghost town. Only one figure moved throughout the entire city, a slender girl, dressed in orange. Her bright eyes were confused, and the usually ditzy smile she wore seemed troubled.

Chasity had taken the afternoon off to train alone, in the forest not far from East City. After several hours of training, she (like her father) had developed a tremendous appetite. So, she flew off towards the city, intent on finding the biggest all-you-can-eat buffet and settling down for the evening.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" she called, her clear voice echoing eerily around the deserted buildings. No response came at all, and her smile faltered further, becoming a confused frown.

She walked out onto the main street, which at this time, should have been jam packed with cars. Then, she saw something moving. Globs of pink slime were hanging off the light fixtures, off the street lamps, draining electricity from almost everything in sight.

Her first, slightly childish thought was 'Hey! They're kinda cute!' but it was quickly replaced with suspicion. Somehow, those little globs had something to do with the lack of people. She walked over to one and poked it gently, receiving a small shock from the gooey substance. "Yeowch!" she said, popping the finger in her mouth and glaring at the blob.

Behind her, a tall, looming shadow spread up the face of a nearby building, and Chasity's acute senses kicked in. Feeling a moderate power-level moving towards her, she spun on the spot, eyes widening at the tall shadow. Could this be the 'new threat' Piccolo had mentioned?

"Well well well! An intruder in Rage Shenron's domain!" Called a high, cawing voice from the other side of the rise in the street.

Chasity took a defensive stance, waiting for the creature to show itself. When it did, she fell over in a fit of giggles. The 'terrifying creature' resembled than an over-sized and plucked pink chicken. A black dragonball gleamed from the creatures white stomach.

"What's so funny?" It screeched in anger, shaking and cleching it's chubby fists. "You should be trembling in fear!"

Chasity stood back up, wiping her streaming eyes. "I was!" she said, trying to hold back the fit of laughter. "But you're such a little fella! You're not scary at all!"

Rage shook angrily, stamping his little foot on the ground. "I am Rage Shenron! Mightiest of the Shadow Dragons!"

"Who?" Chasity asked, tilting her head to the side, still trying to hold back the laughter. "And you don't seem very strong to me..."

"Insolent brat!" Rage pointed a sharp finger at the girl, a small orb of electricity growing at his fingertip. "DRAGON THUNDERCLAP!" he roared, a beam of shocking energy crackled through the air.

Chasity was enveloped in electricity, her eyes widening slightly as the attack hit. After a few moments, her eyes darted left and right, confused. "Umm... Is this meant to be... Hurting me?" she asked.

A sweatdrop formed at the back of Rage's head, and he released the attack. "I see you're stronger than you look!" called the Dragon, trying to revert to his menacing demeanour. "Looks like I'll have to use some of my true power! Electric Slime, come to me!"

He pointed his finger upwards, and the slime began shooting towards him, coating his form. Before long, he was a slimy mass of goo, and Chasity simply watched, her head tilted to the side.

The Dragon took shape, becoming a much larger and bulkier version of his original self. But in place of the black dragonball on his front, it was a clear dome, the much smaller Rage Shenron protected inside. "Now! Feel my-"

Rage's tanklike form crashed through a building, having been kicked squarely in the face by the young demi-saiyan. The Dragon lurched to its feet, furious. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

"Ah... Hitting you? Weren't you ready? I'm sorry!" She said, landing lightly and taking her pose. "Are you ready now? Can we fight?"

"Don't you get it!" The dragon screeched, lumbering towards her. "There'll be no fight! You can't match my incredible pow-"

Chasity giggled, watching Rage soar away from her punch, crashing through several more buildings. "Oops, guess you weren't ready for that one either!" She floated higher up looking down on the Dragon.

"You brat!" called Rage, getting to his feet. He couldn't understand how this damned girl could beat him so easily. It was absurd! 'I'm going to need more energy...' he thought to himself, scanning the area. There was a lot more slime to be absorbed, but he needed it for his plan.  
>"You're not a very nice bird." Chasity said with a frown. "I think you got rid of all the people here, didn't you?"<p>

Shenron ambled back a few steps, eyeing off a power-plant not far away from him. "I am NOT a bird! I am Rage Shenron! A Shadow Dragon!" He moved back further, and due to his exceptional size, he was making good ground. "And yes! I killed them all!"

Chasity's frown became something that resembled angry, and her hair began to rise. "Well, in that case, I need to finish you!" he hair snapped to deep golden, standing up in crazy spikes. An aura of matching color swirled around her body. "Ka... me... ha... me..." she began in a commanding tone, cupping her hands by her side. But Rage had done what he needed.

As she chanted, long pink tentacles had sprouted from the Dragon's back, reaching out towards the power-plant. They latched onto the transformers, power charging into Rage's body.

"Haaaa!" she shouted, thrusting her arms forward as the blue wave shot towards the giant dragon. But, to her surprise, it kept growing and growing. Rage was swelling with energy, and his cackle drowned out all sound.

The Kamehameha Wave ploughed into Rage's rapidly swelling stomach. The giant Dragon leaned forward, and the wave shot back towards Chasity, who was swift enough to move out of the way. "Whoa, crazy!" she said in shock, as the Dragon below continued to increase in mass.

Before she could ascend, or fire another attack, or react at all, the blobs of slime behind her formed together and engulfed her. "Hey! What the?" she yelled trying to free herself as thin tendrils of slime attached themselves to the cocoon she was trapped in.

"It's useless!" he cried, laughing insanely, drawing her closer to his colossal form. "You cannot break free!" Chasity was drawn closer and closer towards the giant, so that she hovered in front of the bubble holding Rage.

"You wait until I get out of here!" she said, punching and kicking at the bubble with no effect whatsoever. "You're gonna be sorry!"

"Oh, am I?" he asked, rubbing his hands together. "DRAGON THUNDERCLAP!" he roared, and this time, Chasity was rocked by the effects. She yelled in pain, the shock running through her entire body.

"How did that feel, girly?" taunted the dragon. "Care for another dose? Hmm?" Without waiting for an answer, he shocked her again. And again. And again.

Chasity felt as though she could take no more. Her whole form felt like it was on fire, and she could see no end to the pain. But relief came sooner than she realised, in the form of a broad shouldered warrior wielding a sword.

Trunks' blade sliced with ease through the electric slime, the cocoon surrounding Chasity falling away. Rage bellowed in outrage and shock, furious that he'd lost his grip on the girl. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

Trunks ignored him, his eyes raking the scene. He'd watched Rage from afar as he approached, and his scientific mind had gone into overdrive. Regular attacks wouldn't hurt the creature. Nothing conventional would. Sure, he could slice him into a million tiny pieces, but the creature would no doubt re form.

Chasity corrected herself mid drop, smiling brightly when she saw her husband. "Trunks!" she said brightly, flying up to him, all injuries forgotten.

Trunks greeted her with a solemn nod. "Chas, I know how we can beat him. We'll need to use our max power though, got it?"

"All right, whaddaya want me to do?" she said, becoming stern and serious suddenly. The abrupt change in her manner made Trunks grin for a moment.

"We need to attack together..." he said, lowering his voice to a whisper. "We're gonna push him into that Lake. Trust me on this, it'll work."

Rage's voice cut through the conversation, screeching words that neither Saiyan wanted to hear. "Dragon Thunderclap!" Bolts of electricity shot through the air towards them, Trunks' hair lifting and turning golden to match Chasity's as the pair dodged and weaved.

Vegeta's son shot past Chasity, yelling over his shoulder. "We need to find an opening! We gotta distract him!"

Distract... That word brought an old (but brief) memory to Chasity's mind. A manoeuvre her 'Uncle' Tien had tought her when she was younger, just in case she needed to distract an enemy. "I got it!" she called, dodging and weaving through the attacks with the litheness of a dancer.

She came to a halt right in front of Rage's defensive bubble, raising her hands to her face. Trunks, watching nervously as he avoided the jolts, knew what was coming and prepared himself. "Solar Flare!" she shouted, as piercing and blinding light burned away at Rage's eyes.

His screeches of pain filled their ears as Trunks and Chasity came together. The man wrapped his arm around Chasity's waist as they raised a palm each and held them right beside each other. The Dragon staggered backwards, rubbing at his eyes, taking a further step towards the lake. "Now!" said Trunks, and the couple's aura exploded around them both, dual beams of energy erupting from their palms.

The waves intertwined and doubled in size, blasting into the Dragon's chest, sending it toppling backwards into the lake. Rage shrieked in fury and pain as the electric slime began to short out and die.

"Let's finish it." Trunks and Chasity flew up together, hovering above the Lake. Trunks collected a gigantic ball of energy above his head, whilst Chasity charged another wave.

"Kamehameha!"

"Finish Buster!"

Water shot up in all directions from the blast, the cityscape shaking and rattling. From amidst the explosion, an orange Dragonball ejected into the air, landing directly in Chasity's palm. "Woohoo!" The girl cheered happily, pumping the air triumphantly with her fist. "We did it!" She turned and wrapped her arms around Trunks' neck, kissing his cheek.

Trunks flushed a bright red, slipping his arms around Chasity's waist, laughing along with her. "We sure did. C'mon, let's get home. I'm sure everyone'll want to know about this."

The pair left the scene, floating off towards the setting sun hand in hand, at peace with the world. It wouldn't be long, however, until the peace was broken again.


	13. Chapter 12: Battle Plan

**CHAPTER 12:** Battle Plan.

-Part 1. "Next step."

It was unusually bright that night as Piccolo watched the pinpoint of light zoom towards him through the skies. It was almost as if the stars were trying to make up for the absence of the moon, shining brightly in the velvety blackness of the heavens.  
>The Namekian looked almost like Kami in this unflattering light, the stars casting deep shadows across his features. His white cape fluttered out in the slight breeze, as the approaching figure drew closer and closer.<br>With a slight rushing sound, Goku landed beside the former guardian of Earth in the sparse clearing, greeting him with a very out of character and stern nod. "You were right." He said bluntly, holding up the now bright orange Dragonball. "There's something big going on here."  
>Piccolo nodded thoughtfully, carefully scrutinising the ball in Goku's hand. He'd sensed the fight with Haze Shenron from this very spot, and was troubled by it. "What exactly did you encounter?" he asked.<br>"He called himself a Shadow Dragon." Goku said slowly. "He said that he was born from the negative energy within the Dragonballs, although I really didn't understand what he meant." The saiyan frowned slightly in thought and confusion.  
>"I think I know." It didn't take Piccolo long to search his mind for the right answer. He was, after all, the creator of the Dragonballs. "The Dragonballs are extremely powerful artifacts, and the power it takes to make a wish is immense. The negative energy it creates disappears with time, but overusing them means that the energy is built up and built up."<br>Goku could almost feel the cogs working away in his mind at this revelation. It was a difficult concept for him to grasp, but he got the idea. "So what you're saying is that its our fault that these dragons have appeared." he said in a defeated tone.  
>"Its nobody's fault. We only ever used the Dragonballs for good, there was no way of knowing this would happen. Even Kami didn't forsee it." Piccolo replied in a rather grim tone. "All we can do now is meet this new threat, and destroy it before it destroys us."<br>The Z Fighters (and the newest addition, Cale) had gathered at Kame House the following day, all listening with apalled shock at Goku's news. He and Piccolo had talked long into the night about the Shadow Dragons, and Goku relayed everything to the Earth's defenders.  
>"Hey, we fought a Dragon yesterday, didn't we Trunks?" Chasity added after Goku had finished his account of the battle with Haze, Trunks nodding in agreement. "Here." Out of her pocket, she pulled the Dragonball that had appeared when Rage Shenron had met his demise.<br>"It seems to me…" began Krillin, bowing his head in thought. "… That the only way to clear up this mess is to defeat these Dragons one by one."  
>"Right." Goku agreed, nodding. "But how do we find them? Their energies are odd. I didn't even sense the first one until I was near him."<br>A few moments of thoughtful silence passed, then Gohan spoke. "Well… Do you think we could track them down with the Dragon Radar?" he asked, looking around at the group. "They all have a Dragonball with them, right?"  
>"That could work." admitted Trunks, who'd been thinking along the same lines. "I see no reason why it wouldn't. If we get the Radar, we'll know for sure."<br>"Dad?" Gohan shot his father a look, and Goku nodded.  
>"I'm on it." With a faint popping sound, Goku vanished from their midst. A few seconds later, the saiyan re-appeared, clutching the Radar in his hand. "Let's take a look."<br>Sure enough, the readout showed two Dragonballs at Kame House. 5 others were scattered across the screen. "Hey, whaddaya know…" muttered Yamcha, leaning closer.  
>There was a rather ominous silence in the group as they watched the dots that represented each of the Dragons flitting across the screen. They'd found a way to track the enemy, but still had virtually no idea what they were up against, considering that the only two Dragons they'd come across were so vastly different in strength and ability. For all they knew, the other five were immensely powerful beings, capable of destroying them all without breaking a sweat. There was also Cell and Frieza to contend with, which made things much worse.<br>It was agreed that they would be foolish in the extreme to race head on into this fight without a plan or any knowledge of the enemy. They would have to take their time and plan their moves carefully, because this time, it was for keeps.  
>In the back of Goku's mind, the thought ran through his mind that eventually, he was going to need Vegeta's help. The others would give their all, but the Earth's hero had the gut feeling that these first two enemies were barely the tip of the iceberg, that before the end, they'd have to face the greatest threat they'd ever known.<br>Would the Prince help? Goku highly doubted that. Even if the whole world begged at his feet for help, he'd merely sneer and turn away. Perhaps Goku could play on his Saiyan pride, but Vegeta's moods had been extremely volatile since he took the path of the Exile almost 3 years previously. His temper was not something to be tested.

-Part 2. "Return Fire."

Vegeta's eyelids fluttered weakly as he gasped for breath, lying at the feet of a tyrant who had wiped out his entire race on a whim. He coughed and choked, feeling the blood filling his punctured lungs while every broken bone in his body burned with agonising pain. He knew he was going to die, staring up into those cold, twisted eyes.  
>Suddenly, his vision was obscured by a bright flash of light, an orange clad figure landing away to his right and staring down the genocidal creature. "He's done it, Frieza. He's become what you fear the most." Vegeta's raspy voice broke into wheezing laughter, struggling through his final breaths. "A super saiyan!"<br>Fresh pain ripped through his chest as Frieza's Death Beam tore a hole in his heart, and the Prince fell back, eyes widening. Goku's voice was a muffled shout of indignant anger. Then everything faded to black.  
>Now, he watched the bug-like android Cell glowing with unsurpassable energy, and once again knew this was the end. A pillar of energy rocketted towards him, but the Prince was too weak to move. He felt rather than saw Gohan tackle him rugby-style out harm's way, heard the sickly snapping as the boy's arm broke from the blast.<br>The scene changed, and Vegeta's eyes swept across a strange world, focussing on the tremendous sphere of energy shunting against the diminuitive Majin Buu. High above, he heard Goku's voice, making a wish that the creature come back as a better person. His battered and bruised body shook as the Spirit Bomb exploded, eradicating Buu from existence.  
>"The only true opposition we have is Goku. Vegeta is nothing." Cell's words now rang loudly through the Prince's head, his mind replaying these memories on repeat. He watched them again and again, until he felt he would go mad with it.<br>Palpable fury rose within him, the desire to wipe Cell and Frieza from existence strong in his mind. He longed to eviscerate them. If only to prove to himself that he wasn't second best.  
>It had been the same his whole life. In the Galactic Planet Trade Empire, he'd been constantly belitted by Frieza's elites, called 'weakling' and the like by Zarbon and Dodoria, completely disregarded by the Ginyu Force. One by one, he'd taken down each of his critics and proven his strength, and the power of his race.<br>The revenge he sought the most, however, had been denied. By Goku, no less. He had destroyed Frieza when Vegeta could not. The memory of that day still stung, lying in a pool of his own blood and organs, watching as a low-class grunt stole the Super Saiyan legacy right out from under his nose. Watched as he cast aside the tyrant who had annihilated his race and enslaved him.  
>One positive thought came to mind; Here was his second chance at revenge. Frieza was alive once more, and far more powerful than he'd ever been before. Not only would the Prince have his revenge, but he'd also have a challenge.<br>The problem was that together, Cell and Frieza were a deadly duo, almost unbeatable. Cell's strength had increased almost limitlessly since his death. Vegeta felt confident that one on one, he'd have no troubles at all.  
>So, how to get to them?<br>Vegeta's tactical mind went into overdrive, a thousand ideas and plots racing around his head. This time, however, nothing brilliant came to mind. The bitter struggle between dark and light continuously waged in his brain, eclipsing all other thought.  
>The Prince sank down onto a rock and lowered his head, massaging his temples. He was no longer asking himself what was wrong. He knew now. Hell, the voices in his head reminded him constantly. Part of him wanted to go back to his old life, to Bulma and his family, to being…. Well, not liked, but accepted.<br>But for the most part, all he wanted was strength.  
>Then doubt set in. He had defeated Goku now (even though he'd used underhanded tactics, he still classed it as victory), but he couldn't defeat the likes of Cell and Frieza? True, they'd both increased dramatically since the last meeting, but they had defeated him like a child. Why?<br>His own mistakes, his own faults. They weren't so powerful at all, he had simply slipped up, as he had done with Gohan neary two years ago.  
>He would need time to work out a plan, and to find a way past his internal issues. It wouldn't take much, he felt, but it would be foolhardy in the extreme to rush off to fight the deadly duo unprepared.<br>Less than two weeks later, Vegeta crashed to the floor of the gravity room after dodging a wayward blast. The intense gravity (800 times that of Earth) made his bones creak as he struggled to get back to his feet.  
>He stood slowly, breathing in deep gasps and nearly stumbled again. There really was nothing like putting one's body through excrutiating physica torment to silence the voices in the mind, he thought. Gradually raising an arm, he prepared to fire off another blast. His arm was shaking violently in the conditions, so violently in fact that it seemed he was using the after image technique. That's when it hit him.<br>"That's it!" he rasped, voice dry from lack of use in prior weeks. He had it, the perfect plan to fight Cell and Frieza one on one. It wouldn't take long for him to perfect it and put it into action.  
>Vegeta was filled with renewed vigor, his plans of revenge once more consuming him. "Vegeta, you really are a genius." He chuckled to himsef. Things were looking up. <p>


	14. Chapter 13: Trials

**CHAPTER****13:** Trials.

-Part 1. "The eye of the Beholder."-

In the two months that Cale had been on Earth, he'd gone from being someone the Z Fighters were cautious and suspicious of, to becoming a regular part of the gang. He'd forged close friendships with Chasity, Tien, Goten, Krillin and Gohan. Trunks still was rather distant and cold, whilst Yamcha just downright didn't like him.

Cale was both impressed and disappointed (in himself more than anything) that the humans on this planet were all able to keep stride with him, despite his Saiyan blood and his in-depth training. On this particular day, he and Tien were sparring in a paddock near a sleepy coastal fishing village, and the triclops was giving him a run for his money.

"Alright, Cale." said Tien, dropping his stance and crossing his arms in front of him. "Time to show you my trump card. Multi-Form!" Cale raised an eyebrow suspiciously, watching as Tien first glowed at the edges, then began replicating himself.

"Wow." Cale said with a grin, eyes flicking between the four Shinhan's standing opposite him. He'd never seen anything like this before, and marveled at the fact that despite multiplying his form, Tien's energy hadn't dropped in the slightest.

They resumed battle, Cale ducking and weaving between 8 arms and legs with acute precision. It was inevitable, however, that he slipped up eventually. A low kick swept Cale's legs out from under him, and his hair ruffled as Tien's boot narrowly missed his temple. He rolled to a halt, coming up on one knee. "That's some trump card!" he said, impressed. "You'll have to teach that to-"

Loud shouts issued from the village, the two warriors exchanging a glance which said one thing: Dragon.

"We'd better check that out." Tien muttered, lifting into the air slightly and gazing towards the coast.

"Agreed. Let's go." The pair shot off towards the village, fearing the worst. But something wasn't quite right. There was joy and excitement in the shouts.

As they approached, they became aware that despite the pristine blue skies, it appeared to be raining over the little hamlet. On closer inspection, it wasn't rain at all.

Hundreds of fish were falling from the skies, the ecstatic villages running around below, catching them in whatever they could find at the time. Two men raced through the streets pushing overflowing wheelbarrows, another two men were carefully carrying a fully loaded bathtub.

"Praise Princess Ohto!" they shouted, much to the confusion of Tien and Cale.

"Princess Ohto?" Cale asked as the pair hovered just outside of the town limits. "Is that one of your human folklore stories?"

Tien shook his head in confusion. "Not one I've ever heard of, that's for sure." None of this made any sense to the human. He'd seen and heard of strange things before, but a mythical princess blessing villages with bounties of fish…. No, this wasn't right.

The pair waited for the madness to subside before descending down into the village square. Both of them were thinking that a Dragon was behind this, but for all they could see, this wasn't an evil deed. It didn't make sense.

"Excuse me." Tien asked, approaching one of the villagers. "But who is Princess Ohto?"

The man, who was groaning under the weight of two sacks laden with fish, smiled brightly. "Princess Ohto is amazing!" he cried, doing a little jig on the spot. "For the last month, she's been blessing us with fish everyday! Nobody's had to work at all!"

"Princess Ohto is nothing but a curse, Kazu." said a voice. They turned, seeing an old man standing on the porch of the general store.

The man, most presumably Kazu, shook his head and laughed. "Oh Mitaka, always so positive. Don't mind the old man." He added in an aside to Cale and Tien. "He's just a miserable naysayer."

Mitaka stepped down from the porch, beadily eying the two fighters. "Naysayer? Tell me, don't you find odd that everybody is becoming wealthy thanks to a strange flying woman?"

Cale and Tien exchanged a glance. Yes, it was odd. "Where is this Princess?" Cale asked.

"Oh, she doesn't show herself." replied Kazu. "We've only seen her once, on the very first day that fish fell from the sky."

"Mark my words boy, no good can come from this." The old man gave his final word, moving off whilst Kazu scoffed loudly. Tien had opened his mouth to reply, when more shouts from the waterfront could be heard.

"Princess Ohto! Princess Ohto is here!" came the joyous cries. The two men took off at a sprint, running down the gravel road to the jetty. It soon became apparent that something was wrong.

A vicious wind kicked up, and the excited villagers began to scream. Several bodies shot into the skies, and boats were tossed to and fro on the suddenly choppy waters. Cale was the first to spot her, skidding to a halt on a short cliff that overlooked the quay. Princess Ohto was a beautiful blue skinned woman, a dragonball visible in the centre of her forehead. Miniature twisters spun around her, ripping apart the small docks and ships.

Simultaneously, Cale and Tien leaped into the air, tossing balls of ki in the direction of the cackling woman. She spotted them, summoning another twister around her, deflecting the blasts. But her attention had been caught.

"You are not villagers." she said quietly, the tempest dying down around her. "Much too powerful to be one of these fools."

"Yeah, and if you're a Princess, I'm a sea turtle." replied Tien.

"Oh, that's the name those imbecilic townspeople gave me." she said in a soft chuckle. "My real name, is Oceanus Shenron."

The wind kicked up slightly, a light mist of sea spray drifting eerily around the woman. "And let me guess." said Cale, adjusting the strap of his longsword. "You're the mightiest of the Shadow Dragons?"

Oceanus slowly closed and opened her eyes, a small smirk playing at her lips. "I'd never claim that, although I'm far more powerful than anything you could imagine."

Tien let out a light snarl as he and Cale assumed their fighting stances. "Enough of this, Dragon. You know why we're here. It's time to fight."

As the two began to power up, Oceanus felt a wave of surprise. She hadn't expected them to be this powerful, not at all. In response, a swirling wind rushed around her, the sea below rising in fury. "Very well. Rest assured, you'll be sleeping in the sea tonight."

Cale and Tien moved in swiftly, rushing the Dragon. Cale drew his fist back, Tien swinging his leg. To their great shock, the pair found themselves being thrown away; It seemed Oceanus' powers of the ocean were a force to be reckoned with.

"Let's blast her!" Cale shouted over the roaring wind as the pair corrected themselves. "On three! One! Two! Three!"

From either side of the Dragon, Cale and Tien fired beams of energy. Both had prepared themselves for the explosion, but it never came. The attacks simply dissipated into nothingness, swallowed up by the violent tornado.

"Boys, boys, boys." laughed Oceanus, holding her hands together in front of her chest, much like a child holding a pretend pistol upwards. "Seems you're going to have to learn the hard way that you simply cannot hurt me!" She extended her arms outward, middle and index fingers pointed skywards. "Whirlwind Spin!"

The woman now span rapidly, firing off wind-like razor ki blasts towards the two warriors. The duo received many cuts and lacerations as they attempted to maneuver between the attacks.

"I've had just about enough!" Cale transmitted out of harms way, appearing with his longsword, Edge, drawn right in front of Oceanus. With a roar of rage, he swung it from behind his shoulder in a slashing motion. Again, to no avail. He barely managed to hold on to the blade as it met the twister and was nearly wrenched from his hands.

Oceanus' fist broke through the barrier, sending Cale sprawling backwards. Before she could return it, Tien's hand fastened around her wrist. "No you don't!" he shouted, feeling the bones crunching as he tried to drag her from her protective wall.

The tornado doubled in ferocity, and Tien was launched into the cliff face. "Human swine!" she shouted. "Whirlwind Spin!" Tien was blasted by the attack. He was pushed further and further into the cliff face, pain riddling his body.

Cale felt this was hopeless, that there was no way to defeat this dragon. He charged his energy, intending to put his all into one final assault. If this didn't work, nothing would. Then, something amazing happened.

A flock of territorial seagulls, who had been circling high above, dove in unison. They dropped straight down towards the Dragon, and to Cale's amazement, managed to break through and start pecking and scratching at Oceanus' face.

"Damnable nuisance!" she roared, dropping the attack and the barrier. She released an explosive gust of wind, scattering the birds all over the sea. The break was enough, however, for Tien to rush in and savagely chop her in the neck.

Oceanus fell back, eyes squeezed shut in pain. In truth, she wasn't physically powerful at all. Her bizarre powers were her only fighting ability, and Cale (who had watched this whole scene play out from not too far away) had finally worked it out.

"Tri-Beam!" roared Tien, hands held in the typical triangle pattern of his major attack. The pillar of torrential ki rocketed towards Oceanus, but the crafty Dragon brought her defensive barrier up just in time to deflect the assault. "Dammit!" Tien shouted in frustration.

Cale took his moment, transmitting beside Tien and whispering to him. "I'm going to disappear in a moment. Keep her distracted." Before Tien could reply or even acknowledge, Cale had charged in. A second later, he went crashing into the sea.

"You're going to pay for your insolence, human!" shouted Oceanus. She raised her arms up, a gigantic water spout rising below Tien and engulfing him. The Triclops was buffeted around in the torrent, unable to move or breathe. 'Come on, Cale!' he thought hopefully.

Now, Cale appeared just above Oceanus' shield-like tempest. As soon as he saw the birds dive in and attack the woman, he knew that she was sitting in the 'eye of the storm', and that the protective wall was useless from above. Edge held aloft in both hands, Cale let out a berserker roar as he dropped down.

The Dragon knew what was happening too late. She turned her head upwards just in time to see Cale's blade slice her cleanly in half. The tempest died, and Tien was ejected from his watery prison.

Oceanus began to drift into two pieces, and Cale spun around, throwing an arm out and firing. The explosion that followed blasted the Dragon into oblivion, and a Dragonball dropped from the smoky haze into Cale's open palm.

He sheathed his sword with a flurry and looked up at Tien. Another dragon, down.

-Part 2. "Fissures."-

"This just in, Abacus City has been completely leveled by an Earthquake!" The news reporter shouted, whilst helicopter images of the ruined city flashed across the screen. "No survivors have yet been…." A studio aide rushed in and whispered something in the man's ear, the reporter's face becoming suddenly horrified. "Now Kimba Town, 5 miles North has also been hit!"

Gohan took off his spectacles and sat up on the couch. His gut told him there was something more to this than met the eye.

Sure enough, a report came in a few moments later that another town nearby had been raised to the ground. Gohan reached across and nudged Goten who was snoozing lightly in the armchair in front of the television. "Hnn? What?" he grumbled, sitting up. Gohan merely pointed at the screen, now showing disturbing images of a gigantic fissure tearing through the Wastes.

After hurriedly changing into their fighting gear, the pair had taken off towards the trouble. "It might take us a little while to get their." Gohan said to Goten as they flew. "And it may have moved or changed course."

"No sweat." Goten replied, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. "I'll call Trunks and get him to check the Dragon Radar."

The Radar showed three Dragonballs (the ones gathered from Haze, Rage and Oceanus) grouped together, one in the snowy regions to the south, and one out in the desert. All these were completely still, but another wasn't.

"It's moving North in a pretty straight line." Trunks said urgently with the phone resting on his shoulder. His fingers were a blur as he typed furiously at the computer in front of him. "There's another town about 30 miles away from it's current position, so you'll have to… Hey, it's stopped!"

Goten exchanged a glance with Gohan at this news. "Where is it?"

"In a valley, about half way between Kimba Town and the mountains." Trunks replied. "If you hurry, you might be able to get there before it moves again. I'll keep you posted."

They reached the valley in good time, coming over a short rise and catching their first view of the next Shadow Dragon. As tall as a 4 story building, it looked more like a giant burrowing rodent than a dragon. It sat quite peacefully at the bottom of the valley, staring blankly off into the distance.

Gohan and Goten landed in front of it, staring up at the beast. For a few moments, all they did was look at it; it seemed oblivious to their arrival. A sweatdrop formed at the back of Gohan's head, as he shouted, "Hey! Dragon!"

As if coming from a deep reverie, the Dragon started, nearly falling backwards in surprise. "What's the big idea?" the Dragon rumbled in a loud, docile voice. "Why'd ya sneak up on me like that,eh?"

"Don't play stupid Dragon!" Goten yelled up at him, taking a step forward. "We're here to defeat you!"

"Dragon? My name ain't Dragon. It's Naturon Shenron." replied Naturon, scratching the back of his head. "And defeat me? I'm not gonna fight ya."

The brothers nearly fell over in exasperation. "Wait, you don't wanna fight?" Goten queried. "What kind of Dragon are you?"

"I just wanna dig." said Naturon. "Dig, and make stuff fall over. That's all." As if to demonstrate his point, the Dragon stomped on the ground, sending cracks and fissures rushing towards Gohan and Goten.

The brothers leaped into the air to avoid the earthquake, Goten in particular becoming increasingly frustrated with Naturon's stupidity. "You may not want to fight, but you don't really have an option!" The demi-saiyan gathered a ball of ki in his palm and launched it at Naturon. The docile Dragon felt the ball bounce off his head, and the minor attack skittered away, exploding on the ground.

"What'd you do that for?" Naturon grumbled, lightly rubbing the side of his head. "If you guys were strong, that woulda hurt!" Still grumbling slightly, and ignoring the mutinous glares of the brothers, he turned around and began to dig. "If you'll excuse me, I got more stuff to knock over."

"Goten, we have to get him to fight us. We can't let him hurt any more people." Gohan said urgently, and instantly, the brothers shifted into their Super Saiyan forms. "Lets attack together! Masenko-Ha!"

"Kamehameha!"  
>By the time Gohan and Goten had fired, Naturon's tail had vanished into the ground. The blasts erupted into the tunnel, but Naturon's digging prowess kept him out of harm's way.<p>

"C'mon! We have to stop him!" shouted Gohan, aura flaring as he streaked off after the burrowing Dragon. Goten following suit.

Cracks and fissures marked Naturon's path, heading in a straight line towards the city that lay just past the mountains on the horizon. Gohan sped on ahead, eclipsing Naturon, blasting away at the deep crevice that was opening as the monster dug.

The mountains loomed closer and closer, and so far the pair hadn't managed to drive the Dragon from his hole in the ground. Despite his docile nature, Naturon was becoming annoyed by Gohan and Goten's interference. So, he dug deeper, going further underground and passing far beneath the mountains.

"Dammit! We have to get to the city before he does! Maybe we can stop him once he gets closer to the surface!" Gohan led the way over the mountain, zooming down across the sparse forest towards the city. Already, people were feeling the Dragon's approach, the shaking lamp posts and flickering lights heralding the arrival of Naturon Shenron.

When the quake hit, the sons of Goku zoomed across the area, dragging people out of sink holes opening in the roadways, pushing falling buildings back into place, stopping a bridge from crashing onto the motorway. Due to their quick action, not a single life was lost, and minimal damage had been done to the city.

Naturon burst back out through the ground just past the city limits, planning to stop and admire his handiwork. But to his surprise (and outrage), barely any damage was visible. "Hey! What's going on here?" he roared, stomping his feet like a child throwing a tantrum.

"We're putting a stop to your spree, Naturon." called Gohan as he hovered above the Dragon. "You won't be hurting anyone on our watch."

"How dare you ruin my fun!" shouted the Dragon in wrath, gritting his teeth and snorting like an enraged bull. "I'll teach you a lesson in respect!"

He lifted his clawed hand up and slammed it into the ground, a second later, pillars of ki burst through the ground at the Super Saiyans. Gohan and Goten dodged the attacks easily, while Naturon continued to blast away with his Aftershock attack.

Gohan shot in, slamming a kick into the side of Naturon's head, the Dragon falling slowly and heavily to the ground. Before he could rise fully, Goten moved up, driving a punch up under Naturon's chin.

He fell backwards with a thunderous crash, eyes rolling in an almost comical manner. "I can see why you don't like to fight." Goten laughed cockily. "You're embarrassingly weak!"

Grumbling, Naturon returned to his feet. "Weak, huh?" he asked, a ghost of a grin appearing on his rat-like face. "Wait until you see my true power, you won't think I'm so weak."

Goten simply scoffed. "Ha, right. Your AMAZING true power, right?" The arrogant young Saiyan folded his arms and chuckled. "Well, hurry up with it. I got stuff to do today."

"Goten, careful." muttered Gohan. "This guy could be a lot stronger than you realize. Don't do anything stupid."

"I'm much stronger than you could believe." said the Dragon as the earth slowly began to shake again. "Get ready." Almost instantly, Naturon's gigantic form became engulfed in an oddly dark light. The brothers felt his power rise swiftly, and Goten's smug look was wiped from his face.

What now stood before them was something out of a nightmare. Naturon was now larger in size, with wicked claws protruding from his finger tips, a horned frill emerging from the back of his now much more Dragon-like head, two long whip-like tails.

"You've gotten uglier, but not much stronger." Goten shot tauntingly, trying to hide his apprehension.

"If you're so sure of yourself," began Naturon with a flick of his tails, "why don't you come and take a piece of me, hot shot?"

"You got it!" Goten's aura erupted, and the young saiyan ignored Gohan's shouts of 'No! Wait!' as he shot towards Naturon. The Dragon's tails whipped around, striking Goten and knocking him cleanly from the skies.

"You'll pay!" roared Gohan, the elder brother rocketing in, narrowly dodging Naturon's attacks and landing a sweeping kick right across the Dragon's fearsome maw. Naturon staggered from the hit, but swiftly countered, slashing away with his gigantic claws.

Gohan was shocked that something so big could be so fast; He could barely keep up with the beast. He pivoted to the side, narrowly avoiding a strike from Naturon, but was swiped to the ground by yet another follow up attack.

Naturon's joy was short lived. With a shout, Goten rose into the air, firing a hefty wave of energy into the back of Naturon's frilled skull. "Hope you hadn't forgotten about ME!" he shouted, gathering another ball of ki as the Dragon stumbled.

"Pesky little fly." Naturon rumbled, turning and firing his own ki wave at the young saiyan. Goten shot to the side, yet despite his swiftness, he was clipped by the wave and sent tumbling again.

"Masenko-Ha!" Naturon felt a rib or two break from Gohan's signature attack, caught off guard. He turned to return fire, and Goten seized the opportunity. The young saiyan shot through the air like a javelin, fists held out in front of him, and drove himself into Naturon's spine.

With a roar of pain, Naturon slapped Goten away with a flick of his tail, and returned to attacking Gohan. The son of Goku however, was gone. "Up here, you big oaf!" Naturon looked up, and Gohan planted his feet right between Naturon's eyes.

The Dragon was furious. Things weren't supposed to be going this way at all. He needed to take control of the battle. Shaking with anger, he charged his energy, knowing that doing so would make him lose this true form sooner, but believing that it would be enough to turn the tide.

"He's powering up!" shouted Gohan as he and Goten crossed paths high in the air. "Let's attack together!" The dove swiftly and steeply, zooming towards the giant Dragon. When they attacked, they hit nothing; Naturon had vanished.

"Not so tough now are we, boys?" Naturon laughed from behind them as he fired dual energy beams from his eyes. The brothers were stricken to the ground, and thrown back into the air from a sweep of Naturon's tail.

He appeared again in front of them, bringing his hands together in a clap, slamming Gohan and Goten together between the palms of his hands. When they hit the deck, they were forced to roll away from Naturon's trampling feet. Such a sudden change in the battle; the Shadow Dragon was pleased.

"Behold the strength of Naturon Shenron!" he roared, opening his mouth, a dark light glowing at the back of his throat.

"Look out!" Gohan shouted, dragging Goten up by the collar and diving away from the colossal energy wave issuing from between Naturon's jaws. The mountains behind them were blasted into a thousand pieces, even before Gohan and Goten had hit the deck.

"You kids put up a good fight, but in the end, no one can defeat the mighty Naturon." chuckled the Dragon, standing over the brothers. "Time to put your meddlesome lights out, for good." He opened his mouth again, intending to end the fight (and the lives of the demi-saiyans) once and for all.

Instead of the hefty blast, a dry cough escaped Naturon's mouth. "What? No!" he said, stumbling back. "Not now!" Sure enough, Naturon had wasted too much time and energy. He was reverting to his original form.

Engulfed again in that dark light, Naturon's body shrank, and shrank. To the brothers' great surprise, the Dragon kept dwindling, until he was no more than two feet tall. The "mighty" Naturon was now a tiny replica of the original form they encountered, and his small beady eyes trembled in fear. "P-Please don't k-kill me!" he squeaked, stepping backwards swiftly.

"Give me one good reason why we shouldn't!" said Goten angrily, wincing as he got to his feet. "You were about to kill us just now."

"I promise, I won't harm another person! I've changed!" he said pathetically, falling to his knees. "I'll hand over the Dragonball, just let me go!"

Goten's face was impassive. "Nice try, that probably would have worked on our dad." The young saiyan took another step forward, a ball of ki gathered in his palm. "Unfortunately, I'm not as forgiving as he is."

Naturon's groveling and sniveling ceased immediately, a look of pure anger crossing his face. "Why you impertinent brat!" he shouted, rising suddenly and swiftly. "I'll kill you!" The little dragon dove at Goten, his body glowing with ki.

Goten acted swiftly, pointing the ball calmly at Naturon, the blast hitting point blank. The saiyan squinted his eyes against the small but bright explosion right in front of him.

They collected the Dragonball and headed for home, feeling a little better about the situation the Earth was now in. Four dragons were now dead (without causing too much concern), and Cell and Frieza hadn't shown their faces since defeating Vegeta. The thing they marveled at the most was that neither Goku nor the Prince had played much of a role so far in fighting this colossal new foe. Perhaps they were all stronger and more capable than they realized. Even Tien had played a part.

Only time would tell if the Shadow Dragons were as powerful as they'd first thought. Gohan's head told him no, his gut told him that the worst was still to come.

…

Deep under the Earth, the two most powerful beings on the planet were deep in counsel about the current war. Things weren't going quite to plan.

"Naturon has died, Blacksmoke." growled Syn Shenron, massaging his knuckles in frustration. "Four of us are gone."

Blacksmoke Shenron, the embodiment of negative energy, lounged lazily in the deep cave, seemingly unperturbed by the recent turn of events. "Relax, would ya." he rumbled airily, twirling his whiskers around his finger. "No need to get your panties in a twist. Those louts were weaklings."

Syn didn't seem too happy at being told not to 'get his panties in a twist', but took the comment stoically enough. "So… You intended for them to be defeated all along?"

"I factored the possibility in when I came up with my plans, yes." responded Blacksmoke. "And I ain't worried, at all. We still have Nuova and Eis. Those two are going to be much harder to take down than those other idiots."

Despite the situation, Syn's lip twitched in a slight smile. Oh yes, Nuova and Eis would put the humans and the saiyans to the test. And if they failed, well, Syn himself would give the world a baptism of fire.

"What of that bug Cell and his companion?" he queried after a moments silence. "Why have they not participated."

"It's simple." replied Blacksmoke, lighting another of his truck sized cigars. "They're waiting for the opportune moment. Cell's a crafty little cricket, he ain't gonna rush in just yet, not when he ain't sure of his own power just yet."

"That, or he's scared." growled Syn, who didn't like the duo in the slightest.

Blacksmoke chuckled darkly. "Oh, he ain't afraid. You can believe me on that. To give you an idea, Cell could take down Eis and Nuova in a one on one fight, and his comrade would give 'em a run for their money."

This news was surprising. The being that Syn had shaken down hadn't seemed all that powerful at all. And his partner in crime had seemed a downright coward.

"We'll have to wait and see what they do next." Blacksmoke muttered, bringing Syn out of his reverie. "The practice skirmishes are over, the real war is about to begin."


	15. Chapter 14: End Game

**CHAPTER****14:** End Game.

-Part 1. "The Power of Pride."-

Time to strike. Vegeta felt thoroughly prepared, and knew exactly what he had to do. All that was needed now was for his little plan to succeed, and he'd have that miserable Icejin all on his own.

For the last three hours, Vegeta had been tearing through the skies, trying to find some trace of Cell and Frieza. He felt sure that his own blaring energy signal had been picked up by the Android (if not Frieza's scouter as well), but the pair simply weren't answering the summons.

His shrewd and now focused mind ran over many different possibilities of where the duo would be holed up. He felt sure that they were far to the North, that was the last place he'd noticed them. Something inside him said they'd be in the polar regions, as Frieza's Icejin blood made him highly resistant to the cold. Cell, with Frieza's DNA built into his design, would have the same advantage.

'Not to worry,' he told himself, 'If they think a little snow will change the outcome of battle, they're sorely mistaken.'

The deadly duo had indeed noticed Vegeta's power, zipping around the frozen tundra not 100 miles from their location. "Seems Vegeta is looking for us." Cell muttered to his partner in crime. "Does he have a death wish?"

"Vegeta's always been rather bold." Frieza replied in his icy voice. "Like I said when I first arrived, a good stomping is what these Saiyan monkeys need."

Frieza was furious about Vegeta calling them out, as he was clearly doing. The sheer arrogance of the Prince was enough to make his blood boil. Oh, how he longed to destroy the Saiyan himself. He'd done it once, and he'd do it again.

"Perhaps we should invite him around? Show him what we've done with the place?" Cell asked lightly, rolling his shoulders as if loosening up for a championship fight.

"By all means, sound out the invitation." replied Frieza coldly. He folded his arms across his thin chest and stared moodily out into the blizzard. Cell merely levitated into the air, his black aura flashing briefly but powerfully.

Vegeta came to a sudden halt, his head whipping around to the right. "So, they want to play after all?" he said quietly, a small smirk touching his face. Despite his nerves, he was eager to get this underway. His aura erupted brightly and he blasted away in a direct line towards Cell's power spike.

"And here he comes. How prompt." Cell chuckled when he felt the Prince streaming towards them like a hurricane. The pair didn't have to wait long; Vegeta's feet touched the icy hillside less than 5 minutes later.

"Finally decided to show your cowardly faces I see." taunted the Prince. Usually, a cocky smirk would have lit his features by now, but Vegeta was focusing on the moment. No ego would impair his judgment this time.

"Finally decided to crawl out from wherever you've been licking your wounds and feeling sorry for yourself lately to come and face death, I see." Cell too seemed right on his game, nothing but grim determination showed on his face.

Phase one of Vegeta's plan had been a complete success, the pair never suspected a thing. Ignoring Cell's comment, Vegeta pressed on with phase two. "You and I have a fight to finish." he said sternly, once again (to the Icejin's extreme annoyance) totally disregarding Frieza's presence.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about." Cell replied in defiance. "We fought, you lost. Even your simple Saiyan brain should be able to comprehend that."

"Correction:" Vegeta stated bluntly. "WE started a fight, which YOU were losing. Then your miserable friend here," he jerked his head rudely in Frieza's direction, "jumped in and gave you the advantage." The icy wind ripped across the hillside, snow billowing around the trio. "I understand that you're a lesser being than myself, the Saiyan blood in you polluted by that of weaker and…. More cowardly creatures." His dark eyes flicked towards Frieza again, a faint grin lifting the corner of his mouth. "But I thought you'd at least have some Pride left in you."

Frieza's blood was boiling with rage. "How dare you!" he shrieked suddenly, his voice seeming to cut over the shrill whistle of the wind. "Weaker indeed! I killed you! And your entire pathetic race! I am Frieza! You shall not disrespect me like this!"

The Icejin raised a shaking hand, pointing his finger straight at Vegeta's heart. This would be it, just the same as last time. Before he could fire, Cell's hand fastened around his wrist.

Cell's face was turned towards Vegeta, a shrewd expression on his face. "No." he said sharply to Frieza. The Prince had played on his own cells built into the Perfect Being's body. That part of Cell wanted to fight Vegeta one on one, a test to see who was really the strongest.

"Unhand me at once!" Frieza snarled. Oh, how he longed to wipe Vegeta from existence.

"No, Frieza. Vegeta's right." There was a very warning tone in Cell's voice. One that said simply; do as I say, or else. "We have a fight to return to. Just between us. Do you understand me?"

Mutinous. That was the only way to describe the glare Frieza shot towards Cell at that moment. If it wasn't for the difference in power, Frieza probably would have blasted him. But, as it was, Frieza simply wrenched his arm from Cell's grasp and stared moodily over the horizon.

"You and me, Cell." Vegeta said calmly. "I don't want this miserable snake to jump in like last time. Follow me." He didn't wait for a response, merely took off into the air and streaked away into the distance.

Cell followed suit, not once looking back or sparing the Icejin a parting word. Vegeta's plan had worked perfectly. He'd lured Cell away from Frieza. Time for phase 3.

-Part 2. "Near perfect execution."-

The saiyan and the android had been flying for almost half an hour, and Frieza's temper had reached boiling point. Cell had completely disregarded him, disrespected him. He was on the verge of ignoring his orders, when a low powerlevel blipped onto his scouter.

"Who's there?" he shouted, staring wildly around himself. "Show yourself at once!"

A figure stepped out from behind a rock formation, his smirking face slightly bowed as he strode slowly and meaningfully towards the Icejin.

"But… What?" Frieza uttered in a harsh whisper. This was impossible. How could he possibly be here? Surely he couldn't have dispatched Cell so quickly. "How did you…."

"Frieza." Vegeta turned his face up and locked eyes with the Icejin. "You look somebody just walked over your grave."

"Explain yourself!" Frieza shouted and stomped his three toed foot into the snowy ground. "How did you get back here?"

Vegeta chuckled lightly, folding his arms. "I never left here." He said cryptically. "No, I've been here the whole time. Cell's not going to be too happy when… .'I' just vanish into thin air." He laughed again, this time at the look on Frieza's face. "You see, I learned a handy technique, one that would ensure I split you two up, and got you alone long enough to wipe you from existence. And they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Far away, the split-form copy of the Prince came to a halt and turned to face Cell. "I must admit, this was far easier than I believed it would be. You really aren't all that intelligent for a perfect being, are you?"

Cell quirked a brow. "What are you babbling about?" he replied indignantly. Something was off.

"I mean…." Vegeta began, calmly adjusting his gloves. "That you fell right into my trap. Or at least, you BOTH fell into my trap. I'd love to stay and explain my intricately genius plan, but I have things to attend to." He grinned broadly and tipped the android a sly wink. "Until we meet again, Cell." With that, Vegeta faded into nothingness, leaving Cell dumbstruck.

Back in the snow, Vegeta could hardly believe how well things had gone. "Well, I estimate we have give or take 45 minutes until Cell gets back. That should be enough time for me to separate your head from your body."

Fear hit the Icejin. Vegeta was immensely powerful; He'd managed to keep a combined assault at bay for a worrying amount of time. His outrage, however, made him hold his ground. "You've always been far too big for your boots, Vegeta." Frieza replied, trying to compose himself. "You seem to be forgetting the results every time we've fought."

"That was then, this is now." Vegeta said simply. His aura crackled around him and sprung to life. "Enough talking. Time to die."

Frieza dropped into a semi-crouch, preparing to transform. "If you wish to die so soon, by all means, I'll oblige you."

Before he could change, Vegeta shifted into his Super Saiyan form and raised a hand. "No, I don't think so." Frieza was forced to leap from harm's way, snarling in frustration. How was he supposed to contend with Super Saiyan 2 and above if he couldn't transform?

"Coward!" Frieza shouted, charging a ball of red and black ki and launching it towards Vegeta. As they were, the Icejin and the Saiyan were rather evenly matched, so rather than allowing the blast to hit, he dodged backwards, dark eyes darting across the skies, following Frieza's progress.

Time was running out, he could already see Cell in his mind's eye, scorching across the landscape, full of wrath.

Sprinting to his right, Vegeta formed a kienzan hurled it in Frieza's direction, The Icejin's head snapped to the side, the disc cutting a thin laceration into his cheek. Almost instinctively, he raised his hand, catching Vegeta's hefty punch as the Prince shifted into sight in front of him.

"Not so brave when you don't have your buddy Cell here to protect you!" Vegeta taunted. His power flared suddenly, and he wrenched his hand from Frieza's grasp, driving his free elbow into Frieza's chin as he spun around.

The former Emperor slammed into the tundra, kicking up icy turf in a circle with the force of impact. This momentary fall allowed Vegeta to ascend into the 2nd Form, and the Prince calculated that it wouldn't be long now until Frieza lay in a pile of his own guts at his feet.

Frieza felt himself being lifted from his feet by the tail, then slammed into the ground again. The action was repeated again, and again. Vegeta, it seemed, was taking no prisoners today.

As Vegeta's opponent hit the ground for the fourth time, Cell was still far away, seething with anger and humiliation. Such an obvious rouse! Vegeta wouldn't dare challenge him one on one, no matter how proud he was. "Oh, you'll pay, Vegeta! YOU'LL PAY!" he shrieked, the landscape below him shattering in his wake.

Frieza rose to his feet again, trembling in mixed fury and pain. If only he could transform, then Vegeta would be the one biting the earth. But the stoic and crafty warrior wasn't giving the icejin the chance to power up.

A savage kick to the side cracked and snapped several ribs, Frieza lurching to the side before being hit with an uppercut so savage he backflipped and slammed into a gnarled and bare tree. Even with his head swimming with agony, he still had presence of mind to roll out of the way of an energy beam, then fly upwards to avoid a second attack.

"Having fun yet, Frieza?" Vegeta muttered into Frieza's ear, right before slipping his brawny forearm around the Icejin's thin neck and squeezing. "I certainly am." The sound of Frieza's gasping, gurgling breaths and the light crunching of bone was music to the Prince's ears.

He had to get loose, or he was going to die. Frieza's tail shot up and slammed into Vegeta's back, causing the Prince to cry out in shocked pain. The hold on Frieza's throat was released just enough for the slippery villain to elbow Vegeta in the stomach and break free, turning and firing a powerful wave point blank.

The Saiyan was driven into the mountain side, and buried beneath tons of rubble as a miniature avalanche broke free. This was his chance, time to transform. 'Vegeta should be out of play just long enough for me to reach my ultimate form' thought Frieza with calculation, chuckling as he charged his energy.

His form grew, the spiked gauntlets appearing, head twisting into a vile pointed shape. As the protective grille slid across his mouth, he watched with satisfaction as the debris below started to shake.

A huge eruption took place, and Frieza shielded his eyes from the blinding golden light now beaming through the falling rock. Whatever the Icejin thought was going to happen next, it wasn't this. When the light had dimmed enough for him to open his eyes, it wasn't a battered and bruised Saiyan who slowly and calmly drifted up into the air. It was a Super Saiyan 3.

"Nice try, but ultimately Frieza, Vegeta always wins." called Vegeta whilst his mane of waist length golden hair fanned out behind him. "You put up an impressive fight, though it was all in vain."

Frieza was speechless. To be so close, and have victory swept out from underneath him. He was too shocked to even raise a defense as Vegeta lifted his hand.

"Time to send you back to the afterlife." He said quietly, before shouting his attack to the heavens. "Big Bang Attack!"

Frieza's eyes widened as the pulsating blue orb rocketed towards him. Was thi how it would end? Dead again, at the hands of yet another monkey?

A green blur shot in front of him, palm stretched out, hand braced at the wrist. Cell's whole body jolted back as the blast hit, the orb held briefly at bay before he flung it into the skies where it exploded more brightly than any firework.

The Prince narrowed his eyes, but otherwise showed no other outward sign of his surprise. Cell had robbed him of his victory.

"I must commend you Vegeta." Cell's voice was shaking and his breathing was more shallow than usual, but he wore a ruthless and victorious smile. "That was quite the little trick you just pulled. Shame you lollygagged about and wasted what little precious time you had."

"No matter." said Vegeta calmly, raising his hand again. "You're more worn out than you're letting on. That flight and deflecting my last attack has severely drained your energy. Looks like I'll be getting two for the price of one today."

Cell's grin faded slightly; It was true. He doubted he could defend himself if Vegeta attacked again…. But…. "Please. You haven't got the energy yourself to pull off an attack like that last one. You put too much into it."

"Is that so?" Vegeta replied with his trademark smirk. He laughed his low, deep chuckle and closed his eyes. "Well, if you're so sure of yourself, stay right where you are. This won't hurt you one bit."

Once again, Vegeta was showing his ability to get into his opponent's head. Despite his ki being right there for Cell to read, the android was now having second thoughts. "You're bluffing!" he said with more defiance than he felt.

"Then by all means, call me out." The Prince opened his eyes, another sphere forming in front of his palm.

Cell wasn't so sure anymore. Vegeta was far too confident, and that spelled trouble with a capital T. 'Get ready to run.' He said telepathically to Frieza. "Solar Flare!" he roared, the skies above opening and blasting the Prince with burning light. The sphere dissolved, and Vegeta released his attack, growling in pain and digging at his eyes.

Pain ripped through his skull. He writhed in the air, willing his sight to return to him. Slowly, his vision faded back, dull blurred shapes becoming visible in the foreground. He could barely make out the two trails of light that were Cell and Frieza fleeing into the distance, but that was enough to tell him that the diabolical pair had retreated from the field.

Despite the disappointment of losing two highly prized scalps, Vegeta felt a very small bubble of satisfaction rise up in him; He now knew he had the power to defeat them. Just like a pair of cowardly dogs, they'd fled before him with their tails between their legs. He'd taught them to fear the powers of a true Saiyan warrior. Now, all that was left to do was to hunt them down, and send them back into Hell.


	16. Chapter 15: Frost

**CHAPTER****15:** Frost.

-Part 1. "A selective group."

With only three Dragonballs remaining, the Z-Fighters decide to take the fight to the Dragons, and take them out. The first four hadn't presented too much of a challenge, but they feared that the true strength of these horrid beings was due to appear soon.

On this particular day, the trio of Gohan, Trunks and Goten were headed East, towards an outlying city where one of the Dragonballs had appeared recently. The wastelands stretched out like an endless tapestry beneath them, the far distant mountains the only things breaking the skyline.

"Thanks for coming with us, Trunks." Gohan muttered to the purple-haired youth. "Piccolo's expecting something big to go down."

"Not a problem." replied Trunks solemnly. "To be honest, I've got a bad feeling about this one. The others were too easy, you know? Speaking of Piccolo, where is he? We could sure use his help."

Gohan shook his head. "Piccolo doesn't really fight anymore. But it's okay, I'm sure we can handle it."

"That saiyan… Is he coming?"

"Yeah, Cale should be meeting up with us any time now." Gohan replied. He caught sight of Trunks' disapproving face, and waited for the purple-headed youth to say something.

"Don't see what we need him for." He said grumpily. "I mean he's not even a Super Saiyan. And I don't trust him at all."

"You don't like him," Goten began, with a wry smirk, "because he gets on with Chasity."

"Hrmph. Got nothing to do with it." Trunks mumbled haughtily, looking and sounding exactly like his father. "He turns up, wanting to see Goku, and just offers to help us fight a bunch of powerful enemies? Call me crazy, but it doesn't make sense at all."

"You're crazy." Gohan agreed with Goten here, and that Trunks' dislike of Cale was a simple jealousy. But Gohan wanted to keep things civil. "Think what you want, but he's helping us out, and I don't want any of us fighting amongst our selves. Got it?"

"Yeah, right."

Within 10 minutes of this short but bitter discussion, the man in question came into view, standing on a high, almost cylindrical plateau, waving to the trio. When they changed direction and headed his way, he lifted into the air, keeping on the level with them. "Gohan, Goten, Trunks." he said with a nod. The brothers greeted him in a friendly manner, but Trunks seemed to have developed a sudden case of lockjaw, and merely nodded grimly.

"Thanks for coming out on such short notice, Cale." Gohan said, relaxing slightly and folding his arms behind his head. "Not sure what we're up against here, but I'm guessing we could use another capable fighter."

"Not a problem." Cale replied obligingly. "Been itching for a fight ever since Tien and I took that other Dragon down. Where's Goku? Thought he'd be up for this one for sure."

Goten shook his head. "No, he's gone to try and convince Vegeta to join the fight." The young saiyan didn't sound too hopeful.

"Good luck to him. If I know my Father, he'll laugh in Goku's face and tell him to fight his own battles." Trunks muttered, looking out over the horizon. "That bastard is so arrogant and narcissistic."

"The fact remains that apart from my Dad, Vegeta's the strongest fighter on Earth." Gohan said in a tone of finality. "If what we're all feeling comes true, we're gonna need him before the end."

Cale adjusted the strap of his longsword over his shoulder. "Well, let's not waste any time with this one then. I've checked things out from a distance, and well…" he broke off and scratched his chin, "… Correct me if I'm wrong, but the snowy regions of this planet are found nearer to the poles than here, right?"

"Yes," said Gohan slowly. "What are you getting at?"

"About 50 miles from here, it's like an ice field." The other three saiyans didn't even bother attempting to disguise their shock. "And the city in the distance looks very much the same."

The Dragons had strange powers, it seemed. "Alright. Let's get to it." Gohan took flight, closely followed by Goten, Cale and Trunks, zooming off towards the city. Sure enough, the wide grasslands almost immediately turned into frozen tundra at the point Cale had indicated.

"What kind of power do these things have?" asked Goten in wonderment.

The city too had been hit hard by this Dragon's bizarre power. Looming up in the distance like a vast ice sculpture, the 4 saiyans were stunned by what they saw.

In the very heart of the city, atop a monstrous icicle skyscraper, Eis Shenron stood with his wings wrapped around his sleek blue form. He opened his eyes, glancing off into the distance. "Ah, here comes the cavalry." he chuckled in his deep, husky voice. "Just as Syn said they would." His powerful wings unfurled and beat the air. He lifted off the tower, and casually flew towards the incoming saiyan forces.

Gohan's super keen senses picked up the Dragon's approach, and the foursome halted. "He's found us." said the impromptu leader of the group. "Keep your guards up, and no rushing in until we know what we're up against." There were no objections from the trio of younger warriors.

Eis came into view, flapping his wings almost lazily towards the saiyans. The quartet held their ground, eyes on the Dragon as he came closer. He too came to a halt, a stone's throw from them, levitating slightly up and down as his wings beat the air. "I'm going to keep this simple. I am Eis Shenron. I am far more powerful than any of the Dragons you have fought so far. Which of you would like to die first?"

His confidence was impressive. "You'll be the one to die, Dragon." Replied Gohan, his aura flaring, the other three following suit. "You won't be harming the Earth or it's people any more."

"The Hero speech… How dreadfully tiresome." Eis yawned over-dramatically. "Look, I'm going to skip the warm up this time. I can't be bothered listening to you four fools blathering on with your righteous drivel."

Not waiting for a reply, a light seemed to radiate from Eis's form. Cracks ran along his body, and then the blue skin shattered, revealing a diamond-like surface. The Dragon didn't need to explain how much stronger he'd gotten; the saiyans could feel it.

Within a split second, all four of them discovered just how fast Eis was. Gohan was knocked into a giant icy building with a kick to the neck, Goten thrown to the ground by a quick judo-styled throw, Trunks sent reeling by an elbow to the back of the head, Cale doubling over from a punch to the gut.

The saiyans redoubled their efforts, Gohan, Goten and Trunks all transforming into Super Saiyans and charging the Dragon. Despite his lack of the form, Cale too flew bravely in to assault the powerful being.

Attacking from all sides, the saiyans kept up a constant barrage of punches and kicks. Eis seemed completely unphased, weaving between the savage assault. His wings spread wide, and an icy gust of wind knocked the four saiyans back.

"Let's take it up a notch!" shouted Gohan, whilst he and his companions powered up in unison. With a higher level of skill, the fighters moved in again, the confident smirk leaving Eis's features as he blocked, parried and dodged.

The fight continued, each time the Dragon rebuffed an assault, the saiyans came back fighting more fiercely than ever. Eis was becoming increasingly frustrated; On their own, any of these fighters would have been wiped out in an instant. As a team, they were putting up a solid defense.

Eis knocked them away again, shooting straight into the air. "He's mine!" shouted Goten, the eager young saiyan charging off ahead of the rest.

"Goten! Wait!" Gohan cried. But to no avail. Wicked claw-like icicles sprang from Eis's finger tips, and dodging Goten's powerful punch, he plunged them in and through the teen's shoulder.

Goten screamed in pain, clutching at the wrist of the hand now embedded into his flesh. Eis chuckled darkly, placing his hand an inch from Goten's face and firing a powerful ki-wave straight into the saiyan's face.

As the teen shot down towards the ground, plowing through several frozen structures, his golden hair faded to black. Goten was out of commission.

"NO!" Gohan shouted in rage, his power leaping as he shifted into his second super-saiyan form. Lightning coated his aura as he led Trunks and Cale into the fight.

The sudden attack caught the Dragon off-guard, Gohan's fist slamming into his jaw line whilst Trunks appeared above him, swinging his linked fists down onto the back of Eis's neck. "Now, Cale!" Hearing Gohan's yell, Cale unsheathed his longsword; He was going to slice the Dragon in two.

The blade held over his shoulder, he roared in concentration, flying straight towards Eis. The Dragon however, would have the last laugh. He opened his eyes just in time to avoid the edge of Cale's blade, then bury his fist deep in the Earth's newest recruit's stomach.

Cale's eyes sprung wide open, taking a deep, gasping breath. "You don't belong in this fight, weakling." muttered Eis, grabbing Cale by the head as Edge fell limply from the saiyan's grasp. "I suggest you run along for now, I will deal with you after I've fought the REAL warriors." Spinning, he hurled Cale towards the ground.

Gohan and Trunks could barely believe their eyes. It had been a golden opportunity, and Eis had slipped through unscathed. Trunks, in his jealous dislike of Cale, blamed the young saiyan, but Gohan wondered if he would have done any better in Cale's position.

"Now, let us resume." called Eis tauntingly. He vanished from sight, appearing above the two saiyans, palms raised, balls of Ki gathered in each hand.

"Trunks! Behind you!" Gohan had spotted the Dragon right as he fired, narrowly avoiding the wave of energy. Trunks hadn't been so lucky. The attack hit him squarely between the shoulders, and he was driven into the ground, buried beneath the rubble from the resulting explosion.

"I'll make you pay!" Gohan raised his hands above his head, locking the Dragon in his sights. "Masenko-HA!" he screamed, the wave taught to him by Piccolo rocketing towards Eis.

"What?" This power was unbelievable. Had he been completely fresh, he could have pushed the wave away like nothing. But the battle had worn him out, whilst Gohan's rage was feeding the flames. Eis barely managed a defense.

The resulting explosion leveled the city block below, and when the smoke cleared, Eis's form trembled, scratches and burn marks adorning his previously flawless armor of ice. He'd barely prepared a counter measure when Gohan's fist slammed into his face, and was then pummeled from all angles by the enraged saiyan.

He hit the ground, hard, rolling and leaping to his feet again. Gohan's next kick narrowly missed taking Eis's head cleanly from his shoulders, but the follow up energy wave struck true.

Meanwhile, icy rubble shifted not too far away. A tailed figure in cracked and dented armor struggled to his feet, reaching out for the longsword which lay on the ground a few feet away. "I'm not weak…" Cale muttered. He knew there was little he could do right now, but damn it, he was going to try.

Eis seemed to be collecting himself, putting up a defense and throwing counter attacks. What was initially a horribly one sided affair was brought back to an even footing.

Both warriors were running out of steam from the ferocity of the battle, and Cale had a hard time simply watching. He could feel their energies dipping, but they were still locked in combat more skillfully than the young saiyan had ever seen before.

"Enough of this!" Eis roared, leaping back to avoid another of Gohan's demon-style combinations. He flung his arms forward, and a biting, icy wind raced from his hands. The attack struck home, and in little to no time, Gohan was encased in an icy tomb.

"Oh how the mighty have fallen…" Eis said between deep breaths, the cocky grin returning to his face. "You put up quite the fight, but in the end, it was a useless endeavor. No one survives against Eis Shenron."

"No… Not like this…" Cale half-whispered, a sudden hit of rage coursing through his veins. The anger acted like a hyper-stimulant, and Cale broke off into a sprint, hefting the sword again. When he was 20 feet away from Eis, he leaped into the air, sword raised high above his head, intending to slice the Dragon right down the centre. But again, Eis ended the brief assault. He spun, lashing out with his heel, connecting with Cale's sternum and once more knocking him to the ground.

"I said I would deal with you later, weakling." he spat in annoyance, disregarding Cale and turning to focus on Gohan. Kill this one first, then he'd have fun torturing Cale to death.

Again, Cale struggled to his feet, filled with despair. He could see no way of defeating this beast. His thoughts drifted to his brother; If Rek were here, he'd show this Dragon a thing or two. But, Cale reminded himself, he wasn't here, and judging by the current dire situation, he'd never see his brother again.

He gazed hopelessly towards Gohan, face defiant even whilst trapped in his icy cage. He thought of Goten and Trunks, who would either bleed out or freeze to death in next to no time. He was the only one left, but he couldn't save them.

His hands trembled with fury at his own weakness, at his inability to change the situation, and something inside him snapped. With a frenzied scream, his aura exploded brightly around him.

The buildings surrounding the battlefield shook and trembled, cracks running along the icy surfaces. Cale's short and spiky hair flickered, from charcoal to golden. "I'm… not… Weak!" he roared, while his eyes moved from dark brown to teal. A bright burst of light, and Cale emerged, golden hair and aura blazing like a sun.

Eis snapped his attention to Cale, the very latest member of the Super Saiyan Club. Fear struck him, the saiyan taking slow, measured steps in his direction, the tip of the longsword lightly scraping the ground.

In his weakened state, Eis didn't even stand a chance. The point of Edge plunged into his chest in the blinking of an eye, sinking through to the hilt as the blade burst through the Dragon's back. The force of the lunge pushed him back, skewered and driven into the side of a nearby office block.

Eis coughed a spray of blue blood onto the ground, Cale taking a leap back, dragging the blade from Eis's chest. He slumped to his knees, and as the teal eyes bored into the Dragon's bright blue ones, Eis knew his reign was over.

Lifting his hand, Cale charged his attack. "Pulse Flare!" he roared, the thick wave hammering the Dragon, and as Eis contorted and shrieked, his form was eviscerated into nothing.

With the death of Eis, the icy fortress coating the city exploded and disappeared. Gohan fell to a knee after breaking free of his frozen cocoon, and met eyes with Cale. He didn't speak, just took a few deep breaths and nodded.

Cale returned the blade to it's sheath over his shoulder, going to Gohan's side and helping him to his feet. "Are you alright?" he asked in measured tones.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Gohan replied. "That was… That was amazing, Cale. I'm afraid the celebrations will need to wait. Trunks and Goten need our help."

"Right." Cale nodded, putting his senses out, trying to detect a trace of the other demi-saiyans. Together, Cale and Gohan pulled them from the rubble.

Goten appeared in worse shape than Trunks. He was completely unconscious, the deep stab wounds in his shoulder bleeding heavily. Trunks, who was being almost completely held up with his arm around Gohan's neck, murmured a feeble thanks.

"Grab my shoulder, Gohan." Cale instructed, carefully slinging Goten over his shoulder. "I can transmit us back to the Lookout, although you'll have to guide me."

"Alright, I gotcha." Gohan grasped Cale's shoulder, focusing in on Dende's energy signal; They'd need the Guardian's healing abilities without a doubt. With a faint zapping noise, the quartet disappeared from sight.

-Part 2. "Not my war."

Before the battle had even begun, Goku had been flying low over a rocky canyon far away. He didn't much like the task before him, but it was one that needed to be done; He needed to speak to Vegeta.

The moody and reclusive Prince hadn't been seen by anyone (save Cell and Frieza) since he stormed away from the lookout, vowing revenge. Until now, Goku had been content to let Vegeta brood alone, but they all had this same, horrid feeling that before long, the greatest enemy they'd ever faced would present itself. Vegeta would be needed.

He zoomed through the gully, eyes peeled for any sign of Vegeta. Apart from a few scorch marks on a cliff face and a row of trees that had been knocked down, he saw nothing which pointed to where the Prince was.

Goku came to a stop, dropping down onto a high precipice, scanning the area with his eyes. He decided on a more direct approach.

"Vegeta!" he called, cupping his hands beside his mouth. The only reply was the echoes, dancing off the canyon walls. So he tried again. And again.

He was about to give up hope, when a snide voice behind him reached his ears. "What do you want, Kakarot?"

"Vegeta…" Goku replied, turning to face the Prince. "We need to talk."

Vegeta folded his arms, uttering a humourless laugh. "Ha. What makes you think I want to talk to you? You're lucky I didn't just wipe you from the face of the Earth."

Goku expected as much. "Look, I know you don't like me very much," (he ignored Vegeta's reply of "That's an understatement."), "but just… Hear me out, okay?"

For a second, Vegeta considered simply saying no, and demanding that Goku leave. But there was an urgency in his voice. "Well… Get on with it then. Are you waiting for an invitation?" he spat.

The Earth's Hero could barely believe his ears. He'd honestly thought Vegeta would decline. "I'm sure you've noticed what's been going on lately." He began, deciding to get straight to the point. "We all feel as though something big is coming. Something far greater than we've ever faced. What I've come here to ask is…"

"If I'll help you face this enemy?" Vegeta finished the question for him. "Why ask a question if you already know the answer? You'll get no help from me, Kakarot."

Unbelievable. "You don't understand. This is bigger than some petty squabble you have with me." Frustration tweaked Goku's usually calm and easy going demeanor. "This could be the single most important battle we've ever faced."

"We?" Vegeta started. "There is no WE. There is you and your miserable group of friends, and there is me. By all means, go fight this foe. And when you fail, I'll step in and succeeded where you could not."

"Stop being so blind, Vegeta." Goku muttered, shaking his head. "You know as well as I do that we're going to need to fight together. You know that our only chance to succeed is to drop our problems and get along. Why can't you let it go?"

"The answer is no, Kakarot." There was a definite tone of finality in his voice. It was damn near icy. "If you came all the way out here to make amends and be pals, you've wasted your time."

"You fool. You complete fool." Goku was more disappointed than angry. He'd felt that if he could get through to Vegeta regarding this threat, there was no way the Prince would refuse. "You're just going to sit back and watch everyone die, simply because you don't like me."

"There's no one I care about enough to act." He said spitefully.

"No one, huh? What about Bulla? What about Trunks? What about Darcy? You remember your granddaughter, right?" Surely, this had to work.

Vegeta seemed on the verge of a scathing reply, but couldn't produce the words. He wouldn't admit it, but he still cared for his family. Deep down, yes, but still enough to act when they needed saving. Goku wasn't going to know that, of course.

"I don't care. No force on this planet or any other could get me to fight with you. This isn't my fight." Defiant. Denial. "We're done? Good. You can see yourself off whenever you like. Forgive me for not inviting you to stay for dinner, but I don't feel like getting the nice china out."

Goku couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could see through Vegeta's snide and snarky façade. He knew he cared about his family. But why the hell was he acting like this? Goku couldn't work it out.

"I don't know what happened to you. The Vegeta I knew would never shy away from a fight." He pressed two fingers to his forehead, disbelief and disgust on his face. "When you decide to get over whatever problem you have, you know where to find me."

After Goku had left, Vegeta sank back into his brooding thoughtfulness. He didn't want to acknowledge that he felt ashamed by his own words. Nor that Goku's words had affected him at all.

The fact of the matter was the he did, and they had. He half wanted to go find Goku now, and grudgingly admit that he would fight with him. The arrogant loner in him wanted to just sit here whilst Goku and the Dragons tore each other apart. But deep down, he knew they'd need his help.

He turned his frustration on a flock of passing pterodactyl, blasting them from the skies, and returned to the solitude of his ship. He had a lot of thinking to do.


	17. Chapter 16: Flame

**CHAPTER 16:** Flame.

-Part 1. "The heat of battle."-

The Prince's rejection weighed on Goku's mind as he soared across the skies to where the 6th Dragonball was said to be located. The fact remained that Cell, Frieza and the mysterious force of the Shadow Dragons were still out there, and Goku couldn't do it alone.

Sure, Gohan, Piccolo, and the other Z Fighters would be there to help him out. Everyone was ready and willing to do their part. But the feeling that before the end, Goku would meet a foe more powerful than himself still gnawed at the back of his mind.

In truth, he was eagerly anticipating a showdown with an opponent stronger than he was. He always had thrived against overwhelming odds in the past, and he lived for battle. But there was also the side of him that needed to protect the world and his friends. That part of him would rather have Vegeta by his side in a more certain victory than face impossible odds alone.

A few tufts of cloud were the only things marring the otherwise perfect forget-me-not blue skies, almost exactly matching the ocean below. Goku was hit with a wave of nostalgia as he realized where he was headed; an island around 9 miles outside of South City, the same place where he and the Earth's defenders had first encountered the android version of Dr. Gero.

Landing on precisely the same bluff that he and his companions had arrived on some 25 years previously, his eyes raked the cityscape, senses seeking out any source of power.

The city itself seemed deserted. No one moved below, not a sound reached Goku's ears. The only sign of movement were a few small fires burning near the docks.

Lifting into the air, Goku took off towards the city. It was exceptionally hot, the sun seemed to burn much brighter than usual and the saiyan was surprised to feel himself perspiring in his martial arts Gi.

He landed lightly in the middle of an intersection, packed with empty motor vehicles. It was odd… The vehicles were faded and rusted, as though they'd been abandoned for years. His keen senses picked up traces of odd Ki all around him, and he raised his guard. Any second now…

A bright flash lit the skies, and what seemed to be a ball of fire plunged out of the air, slamming into the ground with enough force to throw up tonnes of concrete and earth into the air. Goku leaped back, assuming his fighting stance, eyes staring into the smoke and dust.

A sudden breeze blew the debris of dust away, and standing in the midst of it all, wreathed in flame, was a sleek and slender figure, bat like wings protruding from his shoulders. The dragon gazed across at Goku, his deep red skin mimicking the fires surrounding him.

"Greetings, Goku. How I hoped you would be the one to find me." He growled in his deep voice. "This is rather fortuitous."

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage." Goku replied, eyeing the Dragon. He couldn't help but notice that he looked nothing like Haze Shenron, who had looked almost humorous. There was cunning and intelligence in this Dragon's eyes.

"Yes of course." The Dragon spead his arms and inclined his head towards Goku. "Nuova Shenron, at your service." He added a rather graceful bow and twirled his hands slightly. Keeping his pose, he tilted his head up towards Goku.

Goku kept his stance during this oddly formal introduction. "You know why I'm here, then?" he asked, raising a brow.

"To slay the Dragon, save the village, and reclaim the stolen treasure, no doubt?" he asked slyly, holding his hand out to Goku, where a Dragonball gleamed from his palm, the dark blue contrasting with the red of his skin. "Unfortunately, that won't be happening. My master has other plans."

"I don't care what your master plans on doing. I'm going to stop you." Goku said defiantly, a slow grin spreading across his face. "You know who I am, so you must know I don't take kindly to evil-doers threatening the Earth. I'd offer you a chance to change your ways, but we both know you'd refuse."

Nuova chuckled darkly. "Precisely. Now, why don't we get underway? Super Saiyan 2 should be sufficient for the time being."

A flicker of unease entered Goku's mind. This Dragon was way too confident. He wasn't cocky or arrogant, as the others had been. It was worrying.

Nevertheless, Goku nodded once, and immediately ascended to a second stage Super Saiyan. He'd have to be very careful with this one. He shifted his stance to raise his defense slightly, eyes fixed on Nuova, waiting for him to make the first move.

Nuova was more than ready to oblige. He took a step forward, vanishing as his foot touched the ground. A split second later, Goku had disappeared as well.

The two rematerialized around 40 feet in the air, Goku's arms crossed above his head and blocking Nuova's downwards strike. "I see your reputation is well earned, Goku." Nuova half-whispered to the saiyan.

They vanished again, their battle raging from one end of the city to another. Buildings collapsed, roads were torn up, and an entire city block was leveled when Goku narrowly dodged a shining red Ki wave from Omega's mouth.

The two touched down, eying each other. "Not bad at all." Said Goku with a grin. Despite the situation, he was enjoying the challenge. Nuova Shenron was a fearsome foe indeed.

"Yes, you've exceeded my expectations." Nuova replied. The Dragon spread his wings, a gust of wind bursting from him. "Although, I tire of these petty warm ups. I suggest you ascend again."

Bright white lines began to run along Nuova's form, flashes of light shining from the cracks in his skin. The light grew brighter and brighter, and Nuova's body shattered.

The light dimmed, revealing the Shadow Dragon's new form, covered in a diamond like coat of golden armor.

"Oh man, his energy is crazy…" Goku muttered, feeling the sharp rise in Nuova's power. It was greater than anything he'd faced so far, more powerful the Majin Buu. "You want me to ascend? Fine, you got it!"

With a roar, Goku's energy swelled, aura blazing whilst the Earth shook beneath him. Within moments, his hair had extended down past his waist, and Goku charged into battle against this new foe.

The intensity of battle picked up, the shockwaves issuing from their points of contact enough to destroy the whole city in under 5 minutes.

Nuova was shocked with Goku's new strength. The fighting was more or less equal, not quite what he had predicted. He'd have to step up his game.

The Dragon dropped from the skies to avoid a kick swung at his head. His feet touched the ground and he jumped backwards, narrowly avoiding a ki-wave Goku had thrown after him. Goku landed a second later, throwing wave after wave towards Nuova. He had trouble keeping up with Nuova's movements, the creature disappearing and reappearing across the battlefield.

"I've had enough!" Goku roared, halting his energy attacks and leaping towards Nuova. He was daunted by how calm and collected the Dragon was. It was as though Goku's attacks weren't fazing him at all anymore. He was simply dodging backwards across the water.

In truth, Nuova had increased his power again to almost his maximum. Goku's efforts weren't nearly as troublesome as they had been a short time ago. He felt it was due time to show Goku what he was truly up against.

Ceasing his retreat, he allowed Goku to get a strike in, a hefty straight punch straight to the chin. His head snapped back, but a slow and twisted smile spread across his face. "Now you understand." He said quietly in response to Goku's disbelieving face. "You never stood a chance."

He drew back his fist, gathering an orb of bright golden ki and swung it into Goku's face.

There was no time to react. Goku was sent crashing into the sea, plunging towards the bottom like a stone. He came to a halt a few inches above the ocean floor. "Man oh man is this guy tough!" he thought to himself, gathering himself for a moment. "I may have to take this all the way to Super Saiyan 4." He was a little worried, however. He hadn't faced an enemy using that form at all.

Before he could think too much on it, he sensed Nuova's energy hovering over the waters above him. Steam was rising from the surface, the Dragon waiting for Goku to show himself.

He decided to hold back on Super Saiyan 4 for now; chances are that Nuova wouldn't allow him the time to charge his energy anyway. So he cupped his hands by his sides, 5 bubbles of air rising from his mouth as he chanted, "Ka…me…ha…me… HA!"

The wave of energy ripped through the water, a gigantic spout erupting around Nuova. "What is this?" he whispered swiftly, turning and throwing his hands forward in defense.

The blast pushed him higher into the air, the Dragon struggling to keep it at bay. At last, he managed to deflect the blast into the air, but Goku used his moment well.

"HYA!" he shouted and swung his foot into the side of Nuova's head. The Shadow Dragon plummeted towards the sea, but was caught by another kick which caused him to go flying into the air. Goku appeared high above, fists linked, preparing to deliver the final blow. Nuova had other plans, however.

He pulled out of his flight path at the last second, narrowly avoiding Goku's swipe and zooming off towards dry land.

The fighters landed simultaneously on what was left of the city. "I'll admit that I wasn't expecting this much of a fight from you, Goku." Nuova muttered darkly.

"You thought I was just going to step aside and let you and your kind destroy my home?" Goku asked. "No, not gonna happen. I'm ending this."

Nuova actually laughed at Goku's claim. "You, defeat me? Come now saiyan, let's have no illusions of grandeur. I've barely begun to display my power. Here, let me give you an example." The Dragon leaped into the air, suddenly wreathed in flame. He flipped over and shot towards Goku, spinning rapidly, a tornado of fire rippling around him.

Goku dove out of the way, and was forced on the defensive yet again, barely managing to avoid the scorching inferno. On Nuova's third fly-over, Goku was struck and knocked to the ground, his upper-gi disintegrated and his torso covered in burns. Nuova's tornado zoomed into the sky where he was now encased in a massive sphere, and began hurling balls of ki-infused flames towards the Saiyan.

A tremendous explosion engulfed Goku, but the defiant saiyan zoomed out of the inferno, smoke trailing from his battered form. Nuova halted his spinning, the cage of fire disappearing, a smirk on his lips. "You see, Goku. You never ever stood a chance to begin with."

"Grr… That's what you think!" Goku roared, his arms becoming a blur as he launched a multitude of energy bullets at Nuova. The blast grew and grew, Goku's fury and adrenaline telling him to keep firing, not to hold up for even a second.

And he didn't. The attack was halted when Nuova's fist suddenly became buried in Goku's stomach. There had been no chance to put up a defense, he hadn't even seen or felt Nuova move.

The Earth's hero doubled over, spittle and blood flying from his mouth. His enemy leaned in closely, whispering into Goku's ear. "Thus far you have proven yourself to be a worthy and admirable adversary. You've earned my respect. Therefore, I will grant you a swift, painless death."

He retracted his fist, and slammed his elbow down onto Goku's back. The saiyan plummeted to Earth, slamming into the ground, laying face down in a small impact crater.

Nuova drifted casually down, his wings beating the air almost lazily. When he touched the ground, he was rather stunned to see Goku back on his feet. Breathing heavily, his right leg seemingly broken, glaring defiantly through one good eye at the Dragon, the first Super Saiyan for a thousand years prepared himself for the end.

"Yes, I thought you'd like to go out this way. Standing proud and upright, defiant to the very end of your days." Nuova raised his hand, and what seemed to be an oversized lense appeared. At the same time, the sun's rays seemed to intensify, what little grass and plant life that remained bursting into flame.

Goku's defiant expression flickered to confusion. What was this new power? Did Nuova have power to control the heat of the sun at will?

"You're curious about how you will meet your end, I see." Nuova had noticed the brief change in Goku's face, and, it seemed, he was more than willing to share. "This attack is called the Nova Death Ray. I'm sure you've noticed by now that my special abilities allow me to feed off this solar system's sun. That ability gives me the power to intensify the very ray's of light radiating from the sun, and when I focus them through this lens, it creates a beam of energy so powerful that even a Super Saiyan couldn't survive it. Genius, no?" He leveled the lens at Goku, chuckling under his breath.

So far, Nuova had shown intelligence beyond any enemy Goku had ever faced. He wasn't like Frieza or Vegeta, who's arrogance left them wide open at points during battle. Nor was he like Majin Buu, the childish immaturity inside him allowing him to become distracted easily in the midst of combat.

Now, however, Nuova had not only slipped up by explaining exactly how his attacks worked. He'd also underestimated his opponent.

"Yeah… I gotta admit, that's a rather ingenious technique." Goku panted, standing as upright as his broken leg would allow him. "Although, I see a fatal flaw."

Nuova's smirk instantly shifted to a disdainful sneer. "Flaw? My abilities, flawed? You're delusional. Don't tell me I hit you so hard you lost all sense. Come now, what flaw do you see?"

It was Goku's turn to smile. "You haven't noticed?" He raised his hands to either side of his face. "You leave yourself wide open to others that can fight using the sun…. TAIOKEN!"

The solar flare (which by itself was enough to blind any opponent) was made all the more powerful by Nuova's intensification of the sun. Not only that, the explosion of light ripped through Nuova's lens, further increasing it's power.

What hit Nuova was, ultimately, an attack that would have caused any other opponent to explode instantly. As it was, Nuova's natural resistance to heat meant that he was able to absorb most of the blow, but the attack left him critically weakened. Knocked off his feet, riddled with pain, blinded, the powerful dragon never saw Goku coming.

The saiyan had squeezed his eyes closed when launching the attack, and in the flash that followed, he'd leaped high into the air, channeling his energy into his arm. Drawing his hand back, he'd zoomed down towards Nuova's form, roaring, "DRAGON FIST!"

If Nuova had been able to see, he would have witnessed Goku become enveloped by a huge wave of energy, in the form of Shenron. The energy Dragon opened it's maw, plowing into the Shadow Dragon below. The entire island was obliterated in the resulting, cataclysmic explosion, and the light of which burned brighter than any star in the skies.

Goku found himself on his knees, his right arm drenched in black blood, his hand fastened around the orange orb that was the 4-Star Dragonball.

He glanced at it for a few moments, then his hair faded to black, and the saiyan rolled over onto his back, completely exhausted. He spread his arms, his typical jovial smile spreading across his face, and he uttered a short, relieved laugh as he stared up at the blue skies.

-Part 2. "Mutiny."-

Eis and Nuova Shenron's deaths had not gone unnoticed by the other residents and visitors of Earth.

The Prince, for one, had kept an eye on the battles from afar. He longed to join the hunt for these Shadow Dragons, but his hatred of Goku and the Z Fighters kept him from participating. The strength of Eis and Nuova hadn't shocked him, really. He'd been expecting some form of powerful foe to appear before long. Now, Vegeta surmised, this "greatest enemy" was due to present himself.

On the other side of the Earth, hidden in a deep underwater cavern, Cell and Frieza had noticed as well. Rather than wishing to join the fight, the duo saw a golden window of opportunity arising. "Seems our Shadow Dragon friends weren't quite as powerful as we fist thought." Cell muttered to Frieza when he felt Nuova's energy signal dissipate and vanish. "This, my friend, is just what we've been waiting for."

Syn Shenron was in a towering rage. His brethren had been slain, despiting having the odds stacked in their favour. He couldn't believe that the Earthlings had managed to wipe out 6 of the most powerful beings to ever live in the space of weeks.

The complete polar opposite, Blacksmoke Shenron seemed completely unbothered by this turn of events.

"Master, I don't see how you can be so relaxed after Nuova and Eis were defeated by this band of weaklings!" he growled angrily. "6 of us are gone, and I am all that stands between the Earthlings and your plans!"

"Hey, don't tell me ya turnin' yellow now." Blacksmoke muttered in response. "I didn't honestly expect Eis and Nuova to succeed. Sure, there was a chance they mighta won through, but I've known all along it'd come down to you. I can obviously understand if ya feeling a little intimidated by the big bad saiyans…"

"Absurd." Replied Syn haughtily, clenching his fists. "I am not intimidated by these miserable worms, and they will rue the day that they crossed my path!"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm sure they will." Blacksmoke waved his hands airily. "Now, pipe down and listen. I think it's time our buddy Cell paid his dues. He's had time to come into his own, and by now he should be ready ta fight."

Syn nodded. Yes, it was time Cell threw his hat into the ring and contributed to their fight. "Very well, shall I go and suggest to him that he become more involved?"

Blacksmoke thought carefully. Sure, he could send Syn to coerce the Android. But why do that, when he, Blacksmoke, could do it himself? "Nah, bring him to me. It's time I had a word with my little cricket friend."

Back in the temporary hideout, Frieza listened closely as Cell discussed his grand plan. "And you're sure this will work?" The Icejin had asked imperiously. "Forgive me, but that plan is riddled with more holes than Swiss cheese."

"Of course it will work." Cell replied, unfazed by Frieza's lack of support. "We just have to do things right, and revenge will be ours for the taking. Nothing will hold us back."

Frieza was a little dubious. Sure, if the plan was executed perfectly, then nothing would stop them. But in Frieza's eyes, Cell was leaving far too much to chance.

"I can't say I like the idea, but I guess it's all we have." Frieza muttered glumly, folding his arms. He went over everything Cell had told him in his mind. The blood injection, the multi-form technique, the fusion dance… So much of it relied on chance and assumptions. It was a rather grand plan, one that seemed likely to fail at the slightest hitch. "And I don't at all like the idea of taking blood."

Part of the plan involved Frieza being injected with a small amount of Cell's blood. This was an idea of Cell's (a rather ingenious one, according to himself) which would mean that in the unlikely event of his destruction, there would be a way for him to regenerate. As long as Frieza survived.

"Sacrifices must be made to achieve our goals." Cell replied almost cheerfully. His mind was abuzz with thoughts of death, revenge and glory. His mood could not be erased. "All there is to do is get things under way. And for that, I suggest we head to the surface. I can imagine that Blacksmoke would have noticed what's been going on out there. And no doubt he'll be calling us into action before long."

"So when do we put this plan into effect, oh fearless leader?" Frieza asked.

Cell looked up at the rocky ceiling for a few moments. "Immediately."

Three hours later, Cell stood alone in the middle of the desert, his eyes narrowed, mind focused, waiting for Syn Shenron's impending arrival. He could feel the Dragon's approach. How could he not? The power was immense, almost limitless.

When Syn landed, Cell made no move, merely kept his eyes locked onto the creature. "You have been summoned. Blacksmoke Shenron demands you go to him at once." Growled the Shadow Dragon.

Cell's eyes flashed mutinously. "At which point am I supposed to care?" he asked imperiously, folding his arms.

Again, Cell found himself being lifted into the air by his throat. "Insolent bug. You dare defy me?"

This time, Cell kept his cool. "Now now, killing me wouldn't be a very good idea." He rasped, trying to hide the pain. "You're strong, yes, but I doubt you have the strength to take on Goku and Vegeta all on your lonesome. You need my help, now that your miserable comrades have died."

Syn glared at Cell. There was truth in his words, even though he didn't want to admit it. He lowered Cell to the ground again, eyes boring into the android's.

"Much better." Replied Cell, relishing the fact that he had the upper hand. "First of all, let me tell you how surprised I am that you walked straight into my little trap."

Syn started, growling in his confusion. "Trap? What trap?" he demanded. Something was definitely off.

"Well, I noticed that you were the last Shadow Dragon left. And I knew that you would be sent to bring me into the fold. Leaving your precious master unguarded and all alone. A master that I have a bone to pick with."

A few moments of silence, then Syn burst into laughter. "That is your plan? You must be kidding me! So, what's supposed to happen now? Your cowardly little friend blindsides me, you both take me out, then you exact revenge upon my master and the Saiyans? Even if you HAD the power to take someone like me down, you think you'd be able to take on Goku, Vegeta and the other Super Saiyans? Ha!"

Cell merely smirked and chuckled. "Oh no, that's where you're quite wrong. I have no delusions as to who the strongest is out of the two of us. Rest assured that I have a way of killing you, and the Saiyans in one foul swoop. But you'll have to wait to see that." Syn's laughing, another confused look passing over his features. "Oh yes, you're stronger than I am, Syn Shenron. But I am much smarter. Fare thee well." He took a bow, laughing all the while, then vanished into thin air.

The true nature of Cell's plan dawned on Syn at that very moment. This had all been a clever ruse. Cell had used the same technique and plan as Vegeta had when he'd wanted to get Frieza alone. And once again, it had worked flawlessly.

He'd bought just enough time for he and Frieza to reach Blacksmoke Shenron's lair. And there would be plenty of time for Cell to complete his revenge. Or so he thought.

When Cell and Frieza stepped into the gigantic cave, Frieza was taken aback my the Dragon's sheer size. And, he could have sworn he could FEEL the power radiating from him. Suddenly, this mutiny didn't seem like such a great idea.

"Cell! My old buddy, how are ya? Long time no see!" Blacksmoke roared jovially, spreading his arms in welcome. "Like what I've done with the place?"

"Shut up, you gigantic buffoon." Cell said a soft, deadly voice, aura flickering around him as he strode towards the Dragon. "I'm going to make you regret disrespecting the Perfect Being."

"Right, right. You're gonna tear me limb from limb, teach me a lesson for callin' ya cricket and grasshopper man." Blacksmoke grinned evilly, red eyes flashing. "We both know you don't have the kinda power to do that. So why don't you just be a good little cricket and-"

Cell's energy exploded, his muscles bulged, lightning coating his form, and the cave itself was blown outwards, revealing the skies above. Cell had transformed into his Super-Perfect self, and the power that came with it was tremendous. Blacksmoke felt the power, as did Syn Shenron, zooming across the Earth towards his master.

Frieza was standing with his arms crossed in front of his face, doing all he could not to get blown away by the hurricane of wind.

"No more talking." It was strange, how that deadly whisper seemed to carry over the roaring wind, blazing aura and falling debris. "Now, you die."

Cell spread his stance, lowering his centre of gravity and cupping his hands at his side. He was preparing the Solar Kamehameha.

As if on cue, Frieza's own purple aura exploded into life around him, and the Icejin took off into the air, dragging his eyes away from the scene below. Cell had told him to vacate as soon as he started powering up, and now he understood why.

The Earth was shaking. Nearby mountains toppled. The ocean's churned and bubbled. A powerful golden orb formed in Cell's hands, this act alone blasting an impact crater around his feet.

Blacksmoke was too terrified to move. How could everything have gone so wrong? Here he was, facing death at the hands of one of his own minions.

Veins stood out along the length of Cell's body, channeling all his strength into the attack. "Ka….Me…."

The orb intensified, blasting another crater into the ground behind him. Cracks and fissures spread across the stone floor.

"Ha….Me…"

Rays of light emanated from between Cell's cupped hands. All light seemed to be drained from the world.

"HA!"

The colossal wave ejected from between Cell's palms, tearing up the landscape as it sped towards the mighty Dragon. Blacksmoke's eyes widened in horror and outrage; To meet his end here and now, when all of his plans were about to come to fruition… He couldn't believe it.

The wave ripped through him, Cell roaring in fury as his power surged and began eviscerating the creature who dared to mock him. The wave tore Blacksmoke apart, then continued on it's path out into the skies, out of the atmosphere, zooming away through the stars.

Cell fell onto his haunches, breathing heavily through a twisted but satisfied smile. Surely everyone on the planet had felt that. Surely they now knew precisely what they were up against. No one would dare to challenge him now.

"YOU!"

Cell leaped to his feet, horrified. "No… No not now!" he thought wildly, eyes bulging in the direction of the furious and oh-so-powerful creature standing in his midst.

Syn Shenron had arrived sooner than Cell had anticipated. And boy, was he pissed.


	18. Chapter 17: Our Worst Nightmare

**CHAPTER 17:** Our worst nightmare.

-Part 1. "Not quite according to plan."-

Syn Shenron's wrath was palpable. Cell had not only made a fool of him, but he'd also destroyed Blacksmoke. Without him, the evil plans of the Shadow Dragons couldn't go ahead.

The Dragon took a thundering step towards Cell, his eyes flashing furiously. "You insubordinate, cowardly, stinking, crawling, disgraceful BUG!"

Cell took a step back, assuming a defensive pose. He knew, though, that it was useless to resist. He hadn't expected Syn to arrive so early. The original plan was for Frieza to return and fuse with him, then they would have had ample power to bring down Syn before going after the Saiyans.

But now… Well, that little plan had gone out the window. Syn wouldn't allow him the time to fuse with Frieza, nor did Cell have the energy left to fight Syn off and flee.

He closed his eyes, speaking telepathically with Frieza. "Go, flee. Get off world and allow me to regenerate. Something's gone wrong."

Frieza, who was hovering just outside the atmosphere and waiting to return, frowned. "Of course something went wrong." He thought dryly, but followed the instruction all the same. He wasn't all that keen on hanging around while a colossally powerful and exceptionally furious Dragon tore Cell to pieces.

Strange, he thought he could almost… Feel the energies down below. Perhaps he was picking up the ability to sense powerlevels, like Cell could. He guessed it could be possible. There would be plenty of time to ponder this as he soared through space.

Back down below, Syn Shenron continued advancing towards Cell. "Do you realize what you've just done?"

"Yes indeed." Cell said more defiantly than he felt. "I wiped your smug bastard master from the face of existence."

"Yes, you certainly did! And you've sealed your own fate by doing so!" Syn Shenron roared in anger, and his power swelled to a greater height than even Cell's.

Up on the Lookout, Goku sprinted to the edge and looked down, a nervous sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Oh man, not good." He said in uneven tones. "I thought Cell was going to be a tough enough opponent…. But this…." The saiyan turned, glancing over his shoulder at Gohan and Cale, who were rather pale faced at the display of power from below.

Vegeta dashed from his ship, staring off over the horizon, his eyes wide and hands trembling. "What… is this?" he whispered, hardly daring to believe his own senses. "This power… It's unfathomable." Even here, so far away, signs of Syn Shenron's power could be seen. The trees began swaying in the other direction, and light tremors ran through the ground.

At ground zero, Cell struggled to stay standing. This massive upsurge of power, coupled with his exhaustion from wiping out Blacksmoke made it near impossible for him to keep balanced.

"You could have stood beside us, and the world would have trembled at your feet! But you have elected to defy us… And the punishment for defiance is death!" Syn raised his shaking hands to the sky, light bursting from him in random intervals. In a split second, a massive sphere around 20 feet in diameter hovered above his horned head.

"If you think I'm going to just roll over and die, you're wrong!" Cell shrieked, pointing with both hands at the Dragon. His screams of rage became more frenzied as he began firing wave after wave of black ki at Syn.

To Cell's utter horror, the mighty blasts did nothing to Syn. The beast strode from the smoke, undamaged, that gigantic orb still held aloft. "It's all over for you!" with a roar, he flung the ball at Cell.

Frieza, who was well and truly outside of the Earth's atmosphere by now, halted and turned when he felt the gargantuan explosion. No way could anyone be that powerful. The blast itself expanded to impossible sizes, spreading out of the atmosphere. The Icejin shaded his eyes slightly, thanking his lucky stars that he wasn't the one caught in that explosion. When it faded and dimmed, Frieza took one last look at the Earth, and sped off into space.

"I knew this plan would go catastrophically wrong." He thought to himself as he jetted through the stars. "But no, what would Frieza know? Bah. When I tell him about this disaster, maybe he'll be more inclined to listen in future."

Back on Earth, Syn Shenron stood at the epicenter of the blast. His flanks were heaving with a combination of rage and the effort of that last attack. He'd put a hell of a lot into it, not sure of quite how strong Cell was or what it would take to kill him cleanly. But the blast had done it's job. Not a single trace of Cell remained; the android wouldn't be regenerating until Frieza landed on some far distant planet and extracted the cells implanted into him.

"That impudent wretch…" Syn growled. Everything was all wrong now. Without Blacksmoke, their plans to bathe the universe in death and darkness couldn't go ahead. Syn was alone, his brethren were gone, and (like Cell had mentioned) he now had to face the powers of Goku and Vegeta combined.

As he stood there and pondered, a single golden thought came to him. If he could get his hands on the Dragonballs, he could use the negative energy stored within his own body to give life to Blacksmoke again. Wiping out the Shadow Dragons would have purified the Balls, erasing the negative energy. But Syn had enough within him to start the process again.

"But where would they be?" he mused aloud. His mind wandered over likely hiding spots, for the Earthlings would have gathered them all together in one spot. There was Capsule Corp, Kame House, Goku's home on Mt Pao… None of them, however, seemed likely enough to host the Dragonballs. Capsule Corp for one was in the middle of a crowded city. They wouldn't risk having the Dragons try to retrieve them and kill so many innocent lives. Kame House was a hermit's shack on a tiny island, and didn't offer much protection at all. The same rang true for Mt Pao.

Then suddenly, it hit him. Where better to hide the Dragonballs than a place that very few knew existed? Why, the birthplace of the Dragonballs, and the home of Earth's Guardian.

Kami's Lookout.

Of course they'd be there. It was blatantly obvious, once he thought about it. High above the World, out of the way. It would be impossible to sneak up on them there as well. And if they saw him coming and knew his intentions, they'd be able to scatter the Dragonballs to all corners of the Earth within seconds.

But they wouldn't know why he was coming. They'd felt his power now, he was sure of it. He'd go there, and they'd be too terrified to think straight. They'd most likely even forget that the Dragonballs were there. And, if his senses were correct, Goku was there. Goku alone wouldn't stand a chance. Even if those other pathetic weaklings decided to stand with him, Goku would die. And once Goku was out of the picture, well… Vegeta wouldn't pose much of a threat on his own.

His mind was set, determination filling him. This was it, his last chance. He could not… no, WOULD not fail. With a rushing, roaring sound, Syn Shenron took off into the skies, a dark smile playing about his face.

-Part 2. "Battle stations."-

3 hours previously, up on Kami's Lookout, Gohan and Piccolo were brought out of their conversation by the sudden arrival of Goku into their midst. The Saiyan fell to his knees immediately after transmitting to their location, exhausted from the battle and the trip.

"Dad!" Gohan started with surprised cry, running over to his father's side. "What happened to you?" His eyes roved across Goku's battered and bloodied form.

Goku looked up, a smile on his face (despite gazing up through one eye) and chuckled. In response, he raised the four star ball.

Out of the temple, Trunks, Cale and Goten came running after they heard the raised voices in the courtyard. All of the Saiyans were looking worse for wear, even after being healed by the guardian Dende after returning from the fight with Eis Shenron.

"One to go, guys!" Goku said excitedly, rising to his feet and gingerly attempting to put weight on his broken leg. He let out a strangled yell of pain, nearly falling to his knees again before being caught and held up by Gohan. "But I think, I'll need to take a rest."

"No kidding." Trunks interjected with an incredulous look on his face. Goku sure had taken a beating. His own injuries seemed superficial when compared to Goku's wounds. "Dende's just inside, c'mon."

He grabbed Goku's other arm, and he and Gohan began assisting Goku towards the temple. "Hey Piccolo, catch." The saiyan lobbed the Dragonball to the Namekian, who caught it with one of his usual stoic nods.

"So that's 6." Cale muttered, stepping up beside Piccolo and gazing at the Dragonball. The desire for the hunt was rising in him again, wishing to go forth as soon as Goku was ready to fight and collect the last Dragonball.

"And now, the true battle begins." Piccolo turned and strode away, his cape fluttering out behind him. This was it, the terrible power he'd predicted months ago. Now was the time.

Cale frowned, watching as Piccolo walked away. He knew very little of Piccolo, or Namekians in general. But when the Son of Katas spoke, it was as though he was speaking the truth every time. He was worried, to say the least.

The Saiyan glanced over his shoulder at Goten, who looked likewise concerned. Suddenly, the lust for battle they'd had a few moments ago had all but disappeared. Now they were just willing Goku to heal faster.

Around 2 hours later, Gohan, Trunks and Dende left the temple, informing all present that Goku was all healed, but would need a little longer to recuperate. Sure enough, Goku's snores could be heard drifting from the building behind them.

"I'd give him an hour or two, and he'll be right as rain." Dende said with a smile. "Gotta tell you though, that was another close call."

The quartet of young saiyans chuckled. "Yeah, my Dad's never satisfied unless he nearly kills himself in every fight." Laughed Goten.

And so the waiting game began. There was little conversation once Dende returned to the temple to keep an eye on Goku. Barely a word was said, until they felt Cell's power explode off the charts.

"What in the-!" Piccolo dashed to the edge of the lookout, staring off into the distance. The clouds, which had been casually drifting away past the Lookout, suddenly halted, then began flying away in the opposite direction, towards Cell's power spike. Even up here, they could all feel the effects of Cell's Super Perfect Form.

"Is that Cell?" Gohan shouted over the roaring wind, horror flooding him. All the while they'd been fighting the Shadow Dragons, THIS power had been building down on the Earth? Maybe Vegeta had been right to focus on the Android and the Icejin. Surely nothing was this powerful.

"So, this dreadful foe I've feared has been Cell all along?" Piccolo thought to himself, leaning back slightly, his hands trembling. "No, surely not. This doesn't make sense."

For a full second, there was total silence. The winds died, the clouds ceased moving. Then the explosion came. Blinding light in all directions, the Lookout shook as though a giant had seized it in his hands and was tossing it to and fro. The gust of wind was almost enough to knock even Gohan off his feet.

It took a good minute or two for the aftershock to cease, and in that time, Goku had leaped out of bed and transmitted to the edge of the Lookout beside Piccolo. His face was unreadable; if he was scared, or intimidated, it wasn't immediately noticeable.

"Cell… I never imagined…." Gohan looked towards his father, then back down over the Lookout. If Cell was this strong… Maybe Goku wouldn't pull through this time. Maybe this time, they didn't stand a chance.

"No…" Goku muttered. His eyes widening slightly as his senses raked across the Earth below.

"No? What do you mean, no?" Piccolo fixed Goku with a stare, one of disbelief. Had Goku gone mad? Surely he could feel that.

"I mean…"

"Cell's not the big fish…" Far away in the Wastes, Vegeta, like Goku, had sensed that other, horrible power. The energy of Syn Shenron. Cell would have proven a difficult foe on his own. What they just felt would have been enough to give a Super Saiyan 4 a run for his money.

This other power, this greater force… It was even more impressive than Cell. And sure enough, moments later, it demonstrated its nightmarish strength when it squashed Cell like a bug.

The Z Fighters on the Lookout could hardly believe what they were feeling. How could such a mighty force even exist? It made Majin Buu look like a tame puppy in comparison.

Vegeta's mind was in two halves yet again. Wanting to fight, but not wanting to help Kakarot. Desiring to fight this foe, but knowing there was no way he could prevail on his own. And as always, that little voice in the back of his thoughts, repeating that he missed his family.

When they felt Syn Shenron zooming towards their location, Goku turned to look sternly at his companions. "All of you, get out of here now." He demanded, without a trace of his usually friendly demeanor.

"But Dad, you can't take this guy alone!" Gohan exclaimed. The other three saiyans nodded in agreement. They weren't about to let Goku face this foe by himself.

"This is no time to argue!" Goku shouted. "This thing is more powerful than anything we've ever faced before. There is NOTHING any of you can do. You'll only get in the way!"

His words were harsh, but true. None of them would have made the slightest impact on Syn Shenron. They would only serve as a distraction, if the Dragon decided to attack them.

"He's right." Piccolo nodded gravely. "You four best clear out. Take Dende and Mr Popo with you, make sure they stay safe."

"And what about you, Piccolo?" Gohan asked defiantly. "What are you going to do, huh?"

"You're not staying Piccolo, end of story." Goku said, shooting a look at Piccolo.

"I created the Dragonballs." He said firmly. "My creation, while having the best intentions, caused this. Gave life to that horrible power. I intend to see it defeated, even if it kills me." The grim determination in Piccolo's voice was enough. No one argued the point.

And so, Gohan, Goten, Trunks and Cale left with Dende and Mr. Popo, leaving Goku and Piccolo to face the incoming might of Syn Shenron. Neither Goku nor Piccolo could have guessed Syn's true intentions, and thus the Dragonballs were left at the Lookout, just as the Dragon had guessed.


	19. Chapter 18: Showdown

**CHAPTER 18:** Showdown.

-Part 1. "Stand Firm."-

A howl of gushing wind heralded Syn Shenron's arrival at the Lookout. The bulky Dragon descended from the skies, the sunlight gleaming on the wicked black spikes protruding from his back and forearms. The Guardian was gone, as were the other 4 Saiyans who had been here mere minutes ago.

Now that he was so close, he could feel the unique energy of the Dragonballs nearby, as though he had Bulma's radar built into his senses. This was all too perfect.

Goku stood side by side with Piccolo, who had removed his weighted cape and turban in preparation for the battle. Their faces were grim and set, knowing full well what may come from this climactic battle.

Syn's eyes passed from Goku onto the Namekian. "I didn't expect you to be here, Piccolo." He rumbled, eying Piccolo maliciously.

Piccolo's fists clenched, his fangs bared in a horrid snarl. "I'm the reason you're here, Dragon." He growled. "My power gave life to you, and I can take it away."

"Oh, that's quite the theory. Would that explain your absence in the battles before now?" Syn's eyes flashed with dark amusement. "Or why you're shaking with fear at my mere presence?"

In the Namek's mind, that this beast was alive was entirely his fault. He was to blame. The anger inside him rose and bubbled. No matter how he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling that the monster standing before him, the greatest threat the universe had ever known, was here all because of him.

"You won't be so smug when I rip the life from your body!" Piccolo leaped forward, ignoring Goku's strangled shouts to stop. He raised his hand, gathering a powerful orb of Ki. Before he could release it, before he even had time to react, Syn was on him.

The Dragon's fist slammed into, then drove through Piccolo's stomach; the Namek was impaled upon Syn Shenron's bulky arm, and purple blood was gushing out of the wound.

"PICCOLO! NO!" Goku shouted, rooted to the spot by his rage and shock. He watched on as Syn flung his arm to the right, and Piccolo went flying in a spray of blood out and over the edge of the Lookout.

"Now that the trash has been taken out, why don't we get this underway?" Sparks of electricity crackled in the air around Syn, his power swelling rapidly. Meanwhile, Goku was seething with rare anger.

"You… monster…" he growled, his whole body shaking with rage. "You vile… cruel… evil… I won't forgive you for this!" Goku screamed suddenly, his aura exploding into life. The saiyan was enveloped in a cone of brightest light, and the Dragon took a step back in awe of the power which burst out of nowhere.

When the light faded, Goku was revealed as a Super Saiyan 4. With the transformation, his rage had dissipated, replaced with a sense of calm and control. All emotion was wiped from him, his red-rimmed eyes boring into Syn's black ones. "You are a blight upon existence, Dragon." He said quietly, his voice filled with controlled purpose. "Your life ends here and now. I won't allow you to harm anyone ever again. I will kill you."

Syn stared at the Saiyan for a few moments. Yes, his power was immense. Greater than Cell's had been when he wiped Blacksmoke from this dimension. His strength still couldn't rival Syn's though. Surely not.

"Talk all you want, saiyan. The fact remains that you don't even know what I am capable of. My power is limitless." As if to demonstrate his point, the Dragon's aura flashed suddenly, shaking the Lookout.

"That won't work." Goku replied calmly. "I've heard similar speeches to yours over the years, about how limited my power is, and how futile fighting would be. If you haven't noticed, all of my enemies have been vanquished, and I'm still here."

"Yes, this is true. But you have never faced a foe like me. Everything you've seen before pales in comparison to my power."

The corner of Goku's mouth twitched in a half-smile, and he chuckled softly. "I've heard that one too." Raditz, Nappa, Vegeta, the Ginyu Force, Frieza, Cooler, The Androids, Cell, Babidi and his henchmen, Majin Buu… All had claimed similar things. The Saiyan's tail curled around his waist as he dropped into his martial arts stance. "Now, let's put your theories to the test."

Syn bared his teeth in a silent snarl, then spat on the ground. "Fine. Have it your way." This saiyan was too cocky for his own good. Goku's power didn't even come close to Syn's.

Dead silence now hung around them like a dense fog, the two warriors staring at one another, as though judging the will of the other. For a few moments, the two fighters held their positions, then Syn's glaring face broke into a grin. He swept his arm up with a roar, an immense blast exploding all around Goku.

The Saiyan, however had avoided the blast at the last moment. His foot swung down from above Syn, and the Dragon ducked to avoid it. Goku landed a few feet behind him, then dropped, swinging another kick at Syn's legs, which Syn flipped over.

Syn landed and pivoted, throwing a volley of punches at Goku, and the Earth's hero dodged backwards out of harm's way. "He's fast." Thought the saiyan as he did his best to elude Syn's assault.

All across the Lookout the fighting continued, neither warrior managing to land more than a few hits each. The Dragon's temper was rising, his disbelief at Goku's power evident. After a brief sortie, the two landed again, in almost the exact same position they'd started in.

"Not feeling quite so confident now, are you?" Goku said quietly, a firm smirk etched onto his face. "You'll be happy to know that I'm not even warmed up yet."

"It doesn't matter if you're at 100% or 1% of your power, Saiyan." Growled the Dragon. "I, Syn Shenron, am the mightiest being in the Galaxy!" Again, the Lookout shook as the Shadow Dragon centered his energy. "I will destroy you, and the rest of your pathetic world."

"Stop talking." Goku cut over the Dragon's monologue. "You were more impressive when you were fighting." Goku's own aura exploded into life, and once more, the two beings were locked in savage combat.

While the fighting continued, Piccolo's broken and bleeding form fell towards the ground. Down past the top of Korin Tower, before thudding heavily into the earth. The Namekian lay motionless at the foot of the tower, and then he groaned, his hand reaching up to the gaping wound in his chest.

Back at Kame House, the Saiyans (with Mr. Popo and Dende) were watching the battle closely, and Gohan noticed the brief flicker of Piccolo's life force. "He's still alive!" he shouted, taking a few steps along the beach. "I gotta go help him, he'll die if I don't!"

"Gohan, you won't make it in time." Said Trunks, shaking his head regretfully. "And what happens if you get there, and the Dragon senses you?"

Gohan closed his eyes, trembling with anger. "So what?" he roared, his aura flashing. "Let him sense me! I'll kill him for what he did to Piccolo!"

"Please Gohan." Dende began. His voice was small, almost pleading. "Don't go there. We all wish there was more we could do, but if we went back, we'd only get in Goku's way."

"I… don't… care! I'm not just gonna stand aside while this thing kills my Dad and Piccolo!" Gohan took off at a sprint, leaping into the air. To find his way blocked by Cale. "Get out of my way, Cale." Gohan growled threateningly. "Last warning."

"If I can offer an alternative," the saiyan began, backing away slightly. "Let me go get Piccolo. I can use Instant Transmission to get him back here in a second or two."

Goku's son considered these words for a moment, and then nodded. "Right." He muttered, his aura dying down. "Just, make sure he's alright."

"I'll get him back in one piece." Cale pressed two fingers to his forehead, zoning in on Piccolo's barely noticeable life force, and vanished. A few seconds later, he appeared with the Namekian over his shoulder and landed lightly on the beach.

"Bring him inside, I'll need to heal him quickly." Dende said sharply, leading the saiyans and the Namekian into the house. Within a few minutes, Piccolo's wounds had been healed, but the former guardian would need time to recover before he was in the clear.

Up on the Lookout, the battle had intensified yet again. Goku was dodging nimbly between Syn's attacks, the Dragon growing increasingly frustrated with the turn of events. "You can't run forever, Saiyan rat!" Syn roared angrily.

"You're right. It's about time I went on the offensive!" Goku's ki-lined fist was buried in Syn's stomach a moment later, the Dragon's eyes bulging in shock and pain. The saiyan followed up with a savage kick to the neck, sending Syn crashing into the guardian's temple.

Goku leaped into the air, cupping his hands at his side. "Kamehameha!" he shouted, and the energy wave slammed into the ruins, erupting in a bright flash of blue.

After the explosion had faded, the rubble exploded outwards, Syn at it's heart, screaming at the skies. "This will not stand!" he roared, while smoke and lighting blasted from his form. "You've pushed me too far! And now, you will die!"

Syn was through with playing around, his rage had broken, and now he pushed himself to his full power. The Lookout was struggling to hold up under the sheer power, even dropping a few feet from its position.

Goku didn't even see the next attack coming. He couldn't tell if it had been a punch or a kick, but he knew that his jaw had damn near broken from that strike. The following one hammered his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. The third and final (an axe-handled blow, he knew that one) hit him so hard that his back nearly snapped before plowing into the Lookout's tiled surface.

The Super Saiyan rose again, spitting a wad of blood onto the ground, staring up at the furious Dragon. Suddenly, he wasn't so sure if he could defeat this monster. Suddenly, he wished that he'd done a better job at convincing Vegeta to fight with him. He raised his own power to the max, his muscles bulging momentarily before returing to their usual proportions. "Time to end this, Syn."

"I could not agree more." The two superpowers charged at one another, exchanging blows again before Syn knocked Goku aside once more. The tide of battle was shifting in Syn's favour, and Goku was struggling to keep himself in the fight.

After another savage struggle, Goku landed on the lookout again, looking up just in time to see Syn Shenron unleashing a continuous wave of energy bullets at him. It was all Goku could do to avoid the small but powerful blasts as they rained down on him.

What neither warrior noticed was that the Lookout itself was falling. It had tilted slightly, dropping about 10 degrees before slowly moving towards the ground. With it's current trajectory and velocity, it would crash into the ground before long.

Still the combatants fought, and still the floating platform plummeted, gathering speed. The fighters danced across it's slanted surface, blissfully unaware that their stage was taking a fall.

It wasn't until the sirens in the city below and the ground came rushing towards them that Syn and Goku realized that they speeding towards the earth. "Oh no!" Goku shouted, eyes widening as he stared at the ground in horror. "I have to save those people!"

He transmitted to the ground, looking up at the falling Lookout, gathering his energy. "Come on, come on!" He cupped his hands at his side again, the blue orb forming between his palms. He intended to blow the Lookout into a million pieces and stop the majority of the impact. But he never got the chance.

Syn Shenron appeared in front of him, a wide and twisted smile carved into his features. He unloaded a volley of powerful punches and kicks at the Saiyan during his unguarded moment, then, grabbing him by the face, slammed him into the ground. With a few seconds to spare, Syn leaped from harm's way, right as the Lookout drove into the ground, crushing Goku and the city beneath it's weight.

-Part 2. "The Decision."-

When the Lookout fell to the Earth, and Goku's energy reading took a serious nose-dive, the saiyans back on Master Roshi's island all felt a swooping shock deep in their guts. Until now, Goku had been putting up one hell of a fight, but for it all to go South so quickly…

"That's it… We've gotta help him." Goten said, ashen faced and fearful. "I know he's stronger than us, but maybe if we attack together…"

"It's not going to work, Goten." Piccolo limped into the lounge room. clutching at the bandages around his torso. "Even a combined attack from every fighter on Earth couldn't beat this thing."

"So what are we gonna do? Sit here and hide until that Dragon blows the Earth up all around us?" Gohan said hotly, whole heartedly agreeing with Goten.

"No, we'll take the fight to him." Piccolo growled, clenching a fist. "But just understand that we can't win. It'll be a fight to the very end, and I intend on giving this monster something to remember me by." Silence met this statement, but it was a silence thick with grim determination. They were all mentally preparing themselves for the end. No regrets.

The silence, however, was broken by a snide, sneering voice from the window. "Cowardly talk, if I ever heard it."

The 4 Saiyans and the Namekian looked around, and their eyes fell on Vegeta, leaning lazily on the window sill. "Cowardly? You have the gall to call us cowards, when you've been hiding while Goku lays his life on the line again for the good of the Earth?" Piccolo snarled angrily.

Vegeta's cool smile slipped slightly. "Don't test me, Namek. You don't want to do that." He leaped lightly over the window sill and onto the kitchen floor, staring at each of the warriors in turn. "None of you weaklings stand a chance against that Dragon. You would be foolish to try and take him on." A long pause this time between sentences, Vegeta letting his words hang on the air. "That's why I, will be going to fight him."

His eyes roamed across the faces of the saiyans and the namek, once more letting the silence do it's work. "If any of you get in my way…" He said slowly, icily. "… I won't hesitate to blast you into a million pieces. This is your only warning. Stay out of my way."

No one dared to argue or disagree, not even Piccolo, who was usually the first to speak out against the Prince. 'What are you playing at?' he thought to himself. 'Why tell us to stay clear, when it's obvious that we could distract the Dragon for you?'

Vegeta himself could not have answered that question, if it had been posed to him. Maybe it was his pride, forcing him to fight alone again. Or, maybe, because standing before him were the last remnants of his mighty race, and he didn't want to see them dead.

A small sack of senzu beans sat on the table, and Vegeta took them and tied them to his belt. No one asked why he was taking them, or tried to stop him. They knew perfectly well that Vegeta planned to heal Goku and fight beside him.

Without another word, Vegeta leaped out of the window, zooming away towards land.

On the battlefield, Syn landed around 50 feet away from the crash site of the Guardian's Lookout, folding his arms and smirking evilly. "That wasn't so difficult." He muttered to himself, stroking his long whiskers. "Foolish Saiyan, he never stood a chance."

He began walking with slow, steady paces towards the ruins, his mind set upon recovering the Dragonballs and continuing his master's plans. Goku was defeated, and Vegeta would go down just as easily. The rest of the Earthlings were ants compared to him.

Suddenly, the rubble shifted, and a large section was pushed upwards and out. Goku rose shakily, his arm hanging loosely in it's socket, his face grazed and bloody. "It's… Not over… Yet… Syn…" he gasped, struggling to stand.

Syn couldn't believe this. The Saiyan still lived. "Why couldn't you have just laid down and died?" demanded the Dragon, exasperation in his voice. "It would have been much easier for me and less painful for you."

"I'm not just going to roll over… while you threaten innocent lives." Goku replied defiantly, trying to stand up straight while fresh blood dripped through his crimson fur. "You have to be stopped."

Syn broke out into a fit of raucous laughter, wiping his eyes. "That's funny! Real funny!" his laughter dwindled into a quiet chuckle, and he gathered an energy ball in his palm. "Shame that you aren't in a position to defeat me."

He hurled the ball at Goku, the Saiyan preparing himself for the end. But another figure shifted into view in front of him, punching the orb into the ground. It exploded intensely and fiercely, and through the smoky haze stepped a second figure, red rimmed eyes glaring brightly, electricity crackling in the air around his crimson form. Vegeta stepped towards Syn, bowing his head slightly. "No, Syn. I, will be the one to defeat you."


	20. Chapter 19: Fighting Chance

**CHAPTER 19:** Fighting Chance.

-Part 1. "Turn the tide."

"You?" Syn asked, incredulously. "You, defeat me? Vegeta, I heard you were arrogant, but this is just too much." He grinned evilly, clenching his fists. "We both know that Goku is far stronger than you could ever be, and he failed miserably."

"A few years ago, that might have worked." Vegeta replied with an equally dark smirk. "I'm no longer that brash warrior, blinded by pride and arrogance. I… am… Reborn!" His aura flashed, and he let out a short, sharp laugh. "Kakarot's power pales in comparison to mine. As you're about to find out."

Syn's grin vanished almost at once. "If you're so sure of yourself, Saiyan…" he spread his arms, then lowered them to waist height. "… come and take your best shot."

"V-Vegeta…" Goku gasped, taking a step towards the Prince. "We'll need to… fight together. He's too strong for you." He was almost pleading Vegeta to see reason.

"Enough of your cowardice." He said in an icy voice to Goku. He glanced over his shoulder at the Earth's hero. "I do not need your assistance, nor are you in a position to help anyway." He was sure Goku had seen the pouch of Senzu Beans tied to his belt, and the glare he sent his way was one of warning; Not a word.

Vegeta, of course, knew perfectly well that Syn was far too powerful to handle all by himself. He had a plan. One that would mean that he and Goku together could take down this mighty foe.

"Are you two done bickering yet?" growled Syn. "I was under the impression that you wanted to fight, Vegeta. Not argue with Goku like an old married couple."

"You want a fight? Very well, a fight you shall have." Vegeta sprang towards Syn, and the small bag of beans fell to the ground, unnoticed by the Dragon. Vegeta's punch sailed through nothing, but the Prince immediately leaped into the air towards his opponent who had rematerialized far above.

Goku fell to his knees, panting heavily, and crawled slowly towards the sack of beans. Meanwhile, Vegeta and Syn were locked in combat. "What's the matter Vegeta? Not so confident now!" Syn roared with laughter, dodging a swift combo and backhanding Vegeta away savagely.

With Syn's attention focused on Vegeta, Goku fumbled with the draw strings of the sack and pulled a bean out. He counted 2 more left inside. That was good, who knew how this battle would turn out.

He grabbed the pouch and stood, chewing the bean, feeling it's mysterious power rejuvenating him. After a few moments, no wounds adorned Goku's body, and he was ready to fight.

"Not so fast, tough guy." Syn growled, grabbing Vegeta by the head as he attempted to dodge between the Dragon's strikes. He drew back his fist, preparing a jaw shattering punch.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR, KAKAROT!" Vegeta shouted suddenly, struggling against the vice like grip of the Shadow Dragon.

"What?" Syn stared down, forgetting his fight with Vegeta for the moment, and realized Goku was gone. In that split second, Vegeta's boot swung up into Syn's face and broke the hold, and then a second strike (from Goku, this time) pummeled Syn's cheek.

The Dragon plummeted, slamming into the ground, a cloud of dust pluming into the air. "Thanks, Vegeta." Goku muttered to the Prince.

"Sure took your damn time." Vegeta snarled, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Give me one of those miserable beans. Now."

Goku handed him a senzu, keeping his eyes on Syn's crash site. "He's powerful. But if we fight together, we can take him. Our best bet would be the fusio-"

"Don't push your luck." Vegeta growled, shooting a glare at Goku. "You're lucky I even saved your miserable skin." Below, the rubble shifted, and the two saiyans immediately sprang into defensive stances, tensed, ready to act.

The rubble exploded outwards, and Syn blasted angrily into the skies. "Insignificant creatures!" he roared. "I'll crush the life from you!"

Goku and Vegeta were on the back foot, dodging between Syn's brutal attacks. Fighting together, they managed to stay clear of the brunt of the Dragon's rage. When they co-ordinated their moves, they were even able to strike back, much to Syn's chagrin.

With the tide of battle began to shift towards the Saiyans, Syn hardly dared to believe it. Sure, he was landing as many attacks as he received, but they shouldn't even have landed a single strike. His power dwarfed theirs.

Releasing a roar of fury, he pummeled Goku to the ground, sending Vegeta crashing into a broken skyscraper moments after. He turned his attention to Goku, firing multiple ki-waves down at the saiyan, but was caught off-guard by a sudden rush from the Prince.

'How can this be happening?' he thought wildly as he traded blows with Vegeta, keeping one eye on Goku, who was barreling towards them. 'I must have underestimated these Saiyans. And if I don't do something drastic soon, their combined assault will wear me down!'

Goku and Vegeta swung mirrored kicks into each side of Syn's chest, and the monstrous being gasped in pain. Reacting instinctively, he slammed the two Saiyans' heads together, then swatted them aside.

"He's too powerful to take head on!" shouted Goku as he and Vegeta composed themselves.

"How observant you are!" Vegeta replied sarcastically, spitting to the side. "No need to tell me that, he's keeping two Super Saiyan 4s at bay! It's ridiculous!"

"If we co-ordinate our next moves, we can take him down." Goku was pleasantly surprised at Vegeta's willingness to fight together this time. He briefly recalled fighting Majin Buu side by side with the Prince; Vegeta had taken a lot of convincing before he chose to fight as a unit, rather than alone. "Reckon you could keep him occupied while I summon a Spirit Bomb?"

"Are you crazy?" Vegeta snapped in a harsh whisper. "You'd need to gather energy from the entire universe to bring this beast down, and that could take hours, days even!"

"We need to think of something to end this quickly." Goku replied defensively. "Why don't you think of something, if you're such a tactical genius?"

"Kakarot…" Vegeta growled, but his next sentence never came.

"Whatever you two clowns are thinking of doing, it won't work!" roared Syn, flying in from nowhere and launching an attack on the duo. They were both rocked by hefty punches, but returned fire, driving kicks into the Dragon's stomach, then both releasing powerful kiais to send Syn soaring.

"If we use hit and run strikes…" Vegeta began, remembering his first fight with Cell and Frieza after they had returned to Earth. "… We can wear him down, leaving him wide open."

Goku's face lit up in a grin. "That just might work." He agreed. "Care to lead off?"

"My. Pleasure."

With a shout, Vegeta's aura exploded into life and he charged in towards Syn. Goku followed suit a moment later. Vegeta's attack seemed like a direct head on charge, and Syn was shocked when he pulled up at the last moment. His eyes were drawn upwards towards the ever-smirking Prince, and Goku's fist was planted firmly onto his jaw. The Earth's hero slipped away before Syn could react, and Vegeta followed up with a shoulder-tackle from below.

The speed of the Saiyans was incredible. Every time he turned to retaliate, a second strike would rock him again. The attacks themselves weren't show stoppers by any stretch of the imagination, but they were working just as Vegeta had hoped. Syn was losing his focus. He was tiring out.

"Now Kakarot! Give it your all!" Vegeta shouted after delivering a swift kick to Syn's torso. The Dragon blinked slowly, his energy falling, and Goku shifted into view right before his eyes.

Screaming to the skies, his fists linked, lined with shimmering golden ki, Goku slammed the axe-handled strike on top of Syn Shenron's horned head. The Dragon's neck jarred painfully, and he rocketed towards the ground. Far below, Vegeta hit the turf, springing lightly off his toes, and zoomed in a flat, horizontal line to where Syn was headed. Shouting with concentration, he swung both his legs up, driving them heel first into the base of Syn's spine.

Syn coughed a wad of black blood into the air as he zoomed up, his eyes finally opening. High above, Goku was a pinprick of light, shouting words to the skies. "Ka…me…ha…me…HA!"

The mighty wave tore through the air towards Syn, and the Dragon rolled away at the last second. "No!" shouted Goku, as he was forced to pull the wave up away from the ground.

Syn landed beside the wreckage of the Lookout, his flanks heaving, blood coating his lips and chin. Goku and Vegeta landed either side of him, staring grimly at the Dragon. "You were a fool to think you were stronger than the Saiyans." Vegeta said quietly, a grin lifting the corner of his mouth.

"You were even more foolish to think you could harm this planet and get away with it." Goku's face was an emotionless mask as he stared down the vile monster. "And now, it's time to pay for your crimes."

-Part 2. "The Alpha: Omega."

Syn's energy was falling rapidly. The combined assault of Goku and Vegeta had tired him out dramatically, and the most recent attack had weakened the Dragon greatly. The Saiyans, while individually posing no threat to Syn's might, had fought smartly, and now the battle, it seemed, was over.

The wicked plans of Blacksmoke Shenron had failed. Nothing remained now but to, as Vegeta thought of it, take out the trash. Simultaneously, on some unseen and unheard cue, Goku and Vegeta began striding towards the battle-worn beast.

"Hey, you guys… I think they did it." Gohan's eyes were wide and disbelieving as he stood on the beach at Kame House. They'd all felt slightly claustrophobic inside the little lounge room and had progressed out into the open air. The stifling, suffocating feeling hadn't left them though. Until now, of course.

"R-really?" Dende too could barely believe his senses. None of them could. The Dragon was still alive. But while he still had the power to crush any of the warriors gathered on the tiny island, Goku and Vegeta's powers now eclipsed his.

"I think you're right, Gohan. Damn, has that Dragon's power dropped…" Trunks rubbed the back of his head, gazing out over the ocean.

Piccolo seemed to be the only one who wasn't completely convinced. "While that thing is still breathing, Goku and Vegeta, not to mention the whole world, are still in grave danger." He growled. "This thing has awesome power, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was saving the last of his strength for one, final, charge."

The Namekian half expected there to be disagreement, but there wasn't. They could all hear the truth in Piccolo's words. Goten opened his mouth to suggest that they go see for themselves, lend a hand if possible, but closed it at a look from Gohan. "All we can do now is place our faith in Dad and Vegeta." Gohan said, in reply to Goten's thought.

In their own respective places, the Z Fighters were watching the battle closely, all thinking similar thoughts to the Saiyans at Kame House.

Yamcha sat in the dugouts at Taitan Park, staring at the ground, face set and grim. Tien stood under a tall waterfall, the torrential waters cascading over his shoulders, with his eyes closed and a frown creasing his forehead. Krillin paced nervously around his home while #18 did her best to appear as bored and haughty as usual. Bulla snapped at her mother to be quiet as Bulma kept asking her daughter what was going on and if Goku and Vegeta were okay. All of them were worried.

On the battlefield, Goku and Vegeta continued their execution march towards Syn. The Dragon had all but given up hope. The Saiyans had bested him thus far, and he could see no light at the end of the tunnel. Most of his strength was gone, and there was insufficient time to summon Blacksmoke and the rest of the Shadow Dragons, not that they'd do much to warriors like Goku and Vegeta. He wasn't even sure that the Dragonballs… Wait…

A wide smile hit Syn's face, a single, glorious idea coming to him. It would be perfect, and all he had to do was get his hands on the Dragonballs. But how to do it?

No doubt Goku and Vegeta would catch on to him if he leaped into the ruins and started digging. He could promise to show them a power greater than anything they could ever imagine. That might work, but as Vegeta had said at the start of the battle, he was reborn. Syn figured that offers of a mightier foe wouldn't work on the Prince this time, or Goku.

'Why not just summon them?' he thought to himself. He'd never tried it before, but, well, he and the Dragonballs were akin to one another. It might just work. Had to work.

"Well, you two put up one hell of a fight, I must admit." The Dragon chuckled, wiping the drying blood from his maw. "I'm afraid it's all over for you."

"I don't know whether you've gone delusional in your final moments, or if you're stalling for more time…" Vegeta began, "but either way, I suggest you hold your tongue and not make this any harder on yourself."

"Just you wait, Saiyan." Syn locked onto the Dragonballs with his mind. "You have no idea what you're up against." The 6 balls zoomed from the wreckage, and before Goku or Vegeta could act, Syn opened his fanged mouth wide and swallowed them whole.

"What the hell-?" Vegeta exclaimed, as he and Goku came to sudden halts. Dark storm clouds began swirling over head, lightning forking across the skies. Syn doubled over, roaring between bursts of insane laughter, his whole form shaking.

"Th-that power!" Goku's eyes widened in horror, while Syn's energy swelled. Without pausing, the two Saiyans zoomed into the air, right as Syn straightened, throwing his arms wide.

Light exploded, causing Goku and Vegeta to shield their eyes. It was a brief, however, and when they looked down on Syn, they were shocked to find him looking almost exactly the same. The obvious exception being the 6 Dragonballs now protruding from his chest.

"Do you now realize the futility of your resistance?" he growled softly, a twisted smirk darkening his face.

With a roar, the Dragon's aura exploded brightly, and a massive blast shook the Earth. The energy streaming from blasted the clouds apart and carved a massive crater around his position. Goku and Vegeta held on for dear life, struggling not to be blown away.

"I… am Omega."


	21. Chapter 20: Last Resort

**CHAPTER 20:** Last Resort.

-Part 1. "Desperate times. Desperate measures."-

The two saiyans stared in horror at this new form. Syn (now Omega) Shenron had increased his power to unbelievable levels. The 6 dragonballs gleamed on his chest. And they thought that he couldn't have gotten any more powerful…

"Brilliant." Vegeta spat angrily. "Just brilliant."

He'd barely finished talking when a savage strike sent him crashing into the ruins of a nearby sky scraper. "Vegeta!" Goku roared, flying in and driving a punch into Omega's stomach. The Dragon seemed completely unperturbed.

He chucked darkly, smiling evilly at Goku. "Go on…" he growled quietly. "Grind it in." His body began to heat up, tendrils of smoke rising from the impact point where Goku's fist was pressed against Omega's abdomen. With a hiss of pain, Goku withdrew his fist, his knuckles singed.

"What?" he gasped, looking up at Omega with wide eyes. "That's Nuova's power!"

"And now it is mine. Along with…." He moved backwards slightly, smirking at Goku's stunned face, then spun rapidly on the spot. "Whirlwind Spin!" The tornado leaped up around him, a vicious wind buffeting Goku with razor-like Ki.

"Hyaaa!" Vegeta dropped from the skies, into the eye of the storm, delivering a kick to Omega in his unguarded moment. The Dragon let out a surprised roar as he dropped towards the ground. "That cowardly tactic didn't work against the triclops or that saiyan brat. It most certainly won't work on Vegeta!" the Prince called, lifting his hands above his head and gathering a ball of Ki. "Now, take this!"

He swung his arms down, but immediately found Omega's fist buried deep in his gut. Vegeta rocked forward, coughing a wide spray of blood from his gasping mouth. His arms still comically half-raised, his eyes bulged, as Omega retracted his arm, then buried his free hand in Vegeta's face.

The Prince shot away, slamming into the ground below as Goku began to chant. "Ka…me…ha…me…."

Omega swept his hand upwards towards Goku, the Saiyan enveloped in a bright explosion, and he tumbled towards the Earth, smoke trailing from his form. He hit the deck, bouncing slightly, then struggled to his feet. His vision was slightly blurry as he looked up, catching sight of Vegeta trading blows with Omega, before being thrown down to the ground again.

"This is ridiculous…" Vegeta growled, rising again. "It's like his power has increased 100 fold. How the hell are we supposed to beat that?"

"I'm all out of ideas." Goku said, cracking his neck. "Was hoping that you, being the genius tactician you keep claiming to be, would have thought of something…"

"… Shut the hell up."

A loud roar broke the conversation, as a powerful ki wave shot down towards them. The saiyans were forced to retreat again, dodging between continuous barrages energy waves.

"You idiots can't run forever." Yelled Omega, vanishing suddenly. He reappeared first in front of Goku, grabbing him by the face and slamming him into the ground. Vegeta moved in, latching onto the Dragon from behind, holding his arms back by the fierce spikes on his back.

"Hit him, Kakarot!" the Prince shouted, struggling to hold on to Omega.

"Dragon thunderclap!" Bolts of lightning descended from the skies, shocking Vegeta to his very core. He shouted out in pain, releasing Omega, and the Dragon leaned forwards, kicking him mule-style in the solar plexus.

Goku fired a shot range ki blast from one knee, distracting Omega from Vegeta. This earned him a savage boot to the face. The fight raged on, Goku and Vegeta getting tossed around like rag dolls by the might of Omega Shenron.

"I can't take this anymore!" shouted Gohan, slamming his fist on the scrubbed wooden table at Kame House. "I'm not just gonna sit idly by while my Dad and Vegeta get pounded by this... This monster!" He rose, a rare bout of anger coursing through his veins, and he booted the table across the room where it exploded against the wall. "I'm going to help them, and if anyone here tries to get in my way, I won't be held responsible for what I do."

The three younger Saiyans, Piccolo, Master Roshi, Dende and Mr. Popo stared at Gohan, shocked by this sudden explosion of fury. They didn't try to stop him as he stormed from the kitchen, shoving the front door open so hard that it was torn off it's hinges.

Gohan had walked down to the water's edge, preparing himself to take off, when a voice behind him caught his attention. "We're coming with you." It was Goten.

He stood a few feet away, Piccolo a few paces behind him, Trunks and Cale loitering on the steps in the doorway. "Who knows… With our help, Goku and Vegeta might be able to take down this Dragon." Piccolo nodded firmly, his cape fluttering in the wind.

"And I know myself I'd rather die fighting than hiding and waiting for the Dragon to come and hunt me down." Cale said stoutly.

Gohan's glare softened slightly, a small smile replacing it. He nodded once, then turned, taking off into the skies. They were all surprised to see Tien, Yamcha and Krillin heading towards them. "Weren't gonna leave without us, were you?" Yamcha said with a trademark grin.

"Yeah, we want in on this fight." Tien added with a smirk and a nod.

"You sure you guys can keep up?" Goten asked, his own grin forming. "I mean, you might just get in our way."

"Please." Krillin chuckled, ruffling his dark hair, flecked with gray. "You guys would fall apart without me around."

They all exchanged glances, and even in the face of certain death, they broke into laughter.

-Part 2. "The Cavalry."

On the battlefield, however, Goku and Vegeta were taking one hell of a beating. Omega's power was far too great. The hit and run tactics of earlier weren't working. Frontal assaults were getting them creamed.

Once again, the two warriors found themselves side by side on the ground, struggling to their feet. Vegeta's mind was racing with tactics and thoughts, none of which would work at all.

"Damn it all!" he snarled in frustration. He glanced over at Goku, his sneering lip twitching as he steeled himself for what he was about to say. "Kakarot… There's only one way to beat this… this thing." A long pause, and Vegeta's voice sounded like he was suffering a mortal wound. "F-fuse with me."

Goku's eyes widened. "Did… Did I just hear you right? You /want/ to fuse?"

"I most certainly do NOT want to fuse!" he growled. "But I don't want to be killed by this preposterously strong Dragon either!"

Goku's shocked face twisted into a grin. "Alright, you got it."

"And wipe that miserable smirk off your face. After we beat this thing, you're next on my list. Got that?"

The Earth's hero just laughed. "This is going to be amazing."

The two warriors leaped up onto the top of a ruined building, taking their positions for the fusion dance. "Ridiculous…" Vegeta muttered holding his hands out to the side.

"Fu…Sion…" A blast erupted between them, scattering the two saiyans across the eviscerated city.

"I don't think so." Omega called. "I know what you're trying to do. And if you morons think I'm going to give you that chance, you're sorely mistaken!"

He spread his arms, firing continuous energy bullets towards the fleeing saiyans. Again they tried to fuse, and again they were thwarted by the mighty Omega. It seemed a fruitless endeavor.

Trying a new tactic, they attacked Omega together, throwing blinding combinations at the horned beast. But still, they weren't able to leave so much as a scratch.

The battle was taking its toll on the saiyans, who were exerting themselves beyond their limits just to avoid kicking the bucket. Omega's speed and power were near unfathomable, and it took 110% effort to stay alive.

The two saiyans landed again, breathing heavily, adorned with lacerations and contusions. They both couldn't see a way to defeat Omega without Fusion. Even if they poured all their energy into a single attack, the monster would simply brush it aside.

"Now you understand." Omega taunted from above. His eyes danced with dark malice. "It would have been easier for you both to just lay down and die."

Vegeta glared up at the Dragon, his hands shaking. "This isn't over, Dragon." He snarled. "I am going to rip you to pieces, and then I'm going to stare into your eyes as you choke on your final breath!"

"Ha! You haven't got the power to do that!" Omega laughed, calling Vegeta's bluff. "We both know that this fight was over the moment it started. You can run, or fight back if you like, but I'd much prefer you to just stand still." He raised his hand towards them, summoning up a crackling energy ball of red Ki.

As he was about to fire, 7 voices rang out from all around them.

"Masenko-Ha!"

"Makankasappo!"

"Kamehameha!"

"Pulse Flare!"

"Finish Buster!"

"Tri-Beam!"

"Kienzan!"

"Sokidan!"

The seven attacks rained down on Omega, a gigantic explosion engulfing him, Goku and Vegeta looking up in shock.

Gohan, Piccolo, Goten, Cale, Trunks, Tien, Krillin and Yamcha had all formed a circle around and above the Dragon, and had blasted him with everything they had.

"And what do you weaklings think you're doing here?" Omega's voice issued from within the smoky haze. "You do realize that you've all just signed your own death certificates, don't you?"

In a split second, all 7 warriors were sent reeling from Omega's brutal and insanely fast attacks. They re-grouped quickly, charging back in and began attacking the beast all at once.

"Goku! Vegeta! Do it now! The Fusion Technique!" Piccolo shouted as he was punched away from the combat zone.

"Quickly Kakarot, the last senzu bean." Vegeta said in a hurried, raspy whisper. "Half each."

Goku tossed the empty sack aside, breaking the bean in half, and handing one portion to Vegeta. Within moments, they felt their energies returning to almost full power.

Omega meanwhile had forgotten all about the two saiyans. The other Z Fighters weren't worrying him, but the fact that he had 7 strong warriors attacking him from all sides meant that his attention was focused in the immediate area.

Their strength renewed, Vegeta glanced up at the Z Fighters. "Let's get out of range. We don't want him stopping us at the last moment."

"But the others…" They weren't faring too well. He could already detect significant decreases in their energy signals. "No, you're right."

They retreated to a spot around 800 metres away from the battling warriors, assuming their positions. "Remember what I said Kakarot. After this, you're next."

"Got it."

They raised their arms, and began stepping towards each other. "Fu…sion…" Their arms pointed outwards, opposing knees lifted, concentrating on the last movement. If they botched this, like against Janemba… The results would be catastrophic.

In the split second before they fused, both Goku and Vegeta reflected on the power of Super Saiyan Gogeta. Far surpassing that of Goku's Super Saiyan 3 power. They had a brief moment to wonder what kind of strength would be born of two Super Saiyan 4s, and if the planet would hold up under such terrific energy, before they leaned over, their finger tips connecting.  
>"Haaaaaa!"<p> 


	22. Chapter 21: End of the Line

**CHAPTER 21:** End of the line.

-Part 1: "True Potential."-

For a moment, time stood still. It seemed that the wind ceased to blow. Complete silence filled the air. The battlefield itself had been plunged into total darkness; the sun robbed of it's radiance by the light shining from a single figure in the near distance.

The fighting between the 7 Z Fighters and Omega Shenron halted at once, all of them staring, transfixed, at this new vision. Piccolo was the one to break the silence, and voice the question on all of their minds. "…What _is_ that?" he said in a voice that was barely a whisper.

Slowly, the light from the figure below dimmed, restoring light to the world around them. The person below was neither Goku nor Vegeta, but at first glance, it could have been either of them.

The usually black hair of the Super Saiyan 4 was a tawny brown, slightly more spiky than usual. The blood red fur instead was an orangey brown in hue, and the typical black vest that accompanied fusion clung to his shoulders. With Vegeta's high cheek bones and Goku's somewhat broader chin, the two fighters stared up at Omega through one set of eyes.

He lifted lightly off the ground, then drifted slowly towards the Dragon. The 7 Z Fighters slowly backed away, not sure how to react to this fusion. Would he explode with power-induced rage? Would he himself be broken apart from that extremely high energy blasting from him?

Omega's open mouth trembled, that cocky attitude vanished in an instant. The sheer power he could sense coming from this being was incomprehensible. It made his own power look pitiful.

With around 200 metres between them, the figure shifted, vanished, then reappeared right in front of the Shadow Dragon. Omega let out a shocked snarl, flinched back, then clenched his teeth in anger. "What the hell is this?" he growled, eyes twitching. "Goku and Vegeta… You two don't have this much power between you!"

"That's because you're not speaking to Goku, or Vegeta." The voice was two toned, low and gravelly; the mixed voices of the Hero and the Prince. "I am Gogeta, born from the two most powerful saiyan warriors the Galaxy has ever known."

"Most powerful… Bah!" Thin lines of blood begun to drip down from Omega's clenched fists, his clawed nails digging into his palms. "Your power is nothing compared to my own! Nothing!"

"Oh?" Gogeta cracked a very small grin. His already insanely high powerlevel kicked up, and despite them being a good 100 metres up in the air, the Earth below sank into a deep, wide crater. The gust of wind which emanated from the Dragon caused the Z Fighters to shrink back, crossing their arms defensively and clinging onto their positons for dear life. "You think that's impressive? Wait until I'm actually fighting."

Omega suddenly zoomed backwards, raising a hand over his head and summoning a colossal ball of Ki. It crackled and hummed with wild, dark energy, and the Dragon grinned. He drew his arm back, breaking into laughter. "Let's see how impressive you are, then!" he roared at Gogeta, who hadn't moved a muscle.

With a roar, he made to swing his arm forwards, and launch the ball at the Saiyan. But a hand had fastened, vice-like, around his wrist. It was Gogeta, right behind him.

The ball dissipated and vanished, Omega crying out in pain. The bones in his wrist creaked and groaned under Gogeta's strength. "No, Omega." The Saiyan said calmly. "You've reached the end of the line. This is where you die."

With a loud, sickening snap, Gogeta closed his fist, breaking Omega's wrist. The Dragon wrenched his hand free, his snarls becoming frenzied screams of pain and fear. He drifted aimlessly, cradling his hand and roaring.

"Y-You'll pay!" he bellowed, glaring at Gogeta. "I'll kill you for this! How dare you disrespect the mighty Omega Shenron like this!"

"Sorry Omega. But you're not quite in the position to be making threats." Gogeta again slowly moved towards the Dragon. "You've done too much evil to be left alive. I can't let you get away with this."

Omega made a sudden, fierce movement towards the Saiyan, but quickly found himself gasping for breath, Gogeta's foot buried in his stomach. He drifted back again, eyes bulging, saliva and blood dripping from his gaping maw. 'How could this have happened?' he thought wildly. 'The battle was mine!'

Gogeta vanished, and Omega felt no less than 20 punches and kicks slam into him. His body was covered in small indentations, blood flying from his lips. He spun in the air, releasing a short, wide wave of Ki in Gogeta's direction. But, he quickly felt Gogeta's boot slam into the top of his skull with unbelievable force.

The other Z Fighters watched on in amazement, floating slightly above the scene. The dramatic increase in the two Saiyans powerful was awe inspiring, to say the very least. They watched as Gogeta wrapped his arms around Omega as he fell towards the ground increasing his speed tenfold before launching him into the turf, leveling off and rising into the air once more. Gogeta's hands blurred, releasing a tremendous amount of energy bullets into the cloud of dust that was Omega. "I think we should fall back…" Piccolo said quietly, eyes fixed on the growing explosion below. No one disagreed, and the 7 warriors retreated, ducking down into the ruins of Kami's Lookout to watch from a safe distance.

Omega dragged himself from the dust, his body battered and bleeding, arm twisted and broken, heaving deep, gurgling breaths through clenched and blood stained teeth. "You miserable… Worthless…" he gasped, trying to track down Gogeta in the skies above. "I'm going to enjoy killing… you…" He staggered, dropping to his knees.

'This power is unbelievable! Even I can't defeat it!' he thought wildly, his flanks heaving with the effort of breathing. 'If I'm going down, I'll drag him down with me!' Omega lifted his good arm, summoning an immense ball of ki; He planned to destroy the Earth, and take Gogeta along with it. He'd die, sure. But the satisfaction of destroying his opponent would make death all the more worth while. He swung his arm down, laughing maniacally.

Almost in slow motion, a figure shifted into view in front of him. The figure had its arms folded, and almost lazily swung his foot upwards, kicking the orb of Ki back towards Omega Shenron. The blast slammed into the Dragon's gut, lifting him into the air, higher and higher until the attack detonated.

The blast itself would not be enough to kill Omega, of course. But the battered figure which drifted towards the ground was done. No more second chances, no more attacks. The fight was over.

Omega hit the deck face first, kicking up a small circle of dust around him. He writhed and twitched in pain, his haggard breathing causing more irregular puffs of dirt to kick up in front of his maw. Slowly, he rose again, staggering drunkenly.

Ruthlessly, relentlessly, Gogeta dropped down in front of him, drawing back his fist and driving it into Omega's sternum. The Super Saiyan felt it crack (along with several ribs) and Omega staggered backwards, gasping and choking, his mouth open in a silent scream of rage and pain.

"You were a fool to ever challenge us." Said Gogeta, the two halves that made him up speaking in unison. "The might of the Saiyans can never be defeated." He raised his hands, pointing them towards Omega, the palms angled very slightly inwards. A pinprick of light began to grow and grow, into a shimmering ball of electric blue ki.

Omega couldn't move, such were the injuries he had sustained. He collapsed to his knees, eyes bulging, hands shaking with fury.

"Goodbye, Omega. Big Bang Kamehameha!" Gogeta pulled his hands back towards him then pushed them towards the Dragon, a gigantic wave of ki tearing up the landscape as it collided with Omega.

"Hit the deck!" yelled Gohan as he dove for cover, the 7 Z Fighters following suit.

Anything in the Galaxy with the ability to sense power levels felt the explosion. The Namekians on New Namek stood stock still in their fields, staring at the skies. The inhabitants of Yardrat bowed their heads, stunned by that immense energy. Frieza halted his flight path through the stars, snapping his head around, staring in horror back towards Earth. The 4 Kais and the fighters in Other World were open-mouthed and pale.

What remained at the scene was a gigantic crater which expanded past the limits of the of the city, Gogeta hovering at it's epicenter, seeming unfazed and unharmed. He lowered his hands, blinking slowly, still radiating with that same gigantic power. A bright light surrounded him, and when it dissipated, he had split once more into the two original halves. Goku, and Vegeta.

-Part 2. "Rejoice."-

The battle damaged saiyans had wasted no time in reverting to their base forms, gazing around at the destruction around them. Even though they could both clearly remember every minute detail of the fight, they were both still in awe of the power they'd possessed together.

Goku hadn't forgotten Vegeta's earlier promise to "deal with him next", and was keeping a guard up, despite his exhaustion and ecstatic mood at defeating Omega once and for all. He glanced sidelong at the Prince, lifting an eyebrow. "So… What now?"

Vegeta spat on the ground, then wiped the back of his fist across his lips. "We'll settle this another day." He said stoically. "Besides, your fan club is on the way…"

Goku glanced up, spotting Gohan, Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, Cale, Krillin, Yamcha and Tien flying towards him, all waving and cheering. A whooshing sound, accompanied by a spray of rocks and dust told him that Vegeta had left the scene. Goku wished he would have stayed, but the sight of his friends' overjoyed faces meant that he wouldn't be too worried about it. Right now, he just wanted to celebrate and relax with his loved ones. He could sense Dende, Mr Popo and Master Roshi heading towards them.

As Vegeta soared away, he was slammed by a sudden wave of annoyance. He'd practically saved the day, yet he doubted if a single person would thank him for it, or recognize his efforts. He wanted to believe he didn't care about any of that, but he did. Deep down.

A figure appeared up ahead of him, and it took him a moment to recognize the lanky Cale, looking distinctly ruffled in his cracked and worn armor. The Prince scowled heavily, intending to fly right past him without a word, but stopped when Cale seemed to address Vegeta's earlier train of thought.

"Hey Vegeta? I just wanted to say thank you. If you hadn't shown up when you did, I'm certain none of us would be here right now." He called, folding his arms.

"Save your thanks for someone who gives a damn, kid." Vegeta replied, coming to a halt. "I had an enemy in my path, and I did what I had to to defeat him. Nothing more. I wasn't trying to save anyone."

"Be that as it may, you saved us, whatever your intentions might have been." Cale paused, hovering on the verge of speech. "I know we kinda got off on the wrong foot here, but we're both pure-blooded saiyans. And I-"

"If you're looking for a friend, you're barking up the wrong tree." Vegeta narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "And I haven't forgotten our first discussion, brat. Rest assured I still intend to make you eat your words. Now get out of my way." Vegeta turned on the jets, zooming straight at Cale, the Saiyan hopping out of the Prince's path. He didn't need to look back to know Cale had returned to the others.

He returned to the solace and solitude of his lonely home, the aches and strains of battle finally breaking through the shield of adrenaline which had been coursing through his body. He felt certain he'd need a good week to recover from this one, despite the senzu beans he'd taken during the fight. He was in a whole world of hurt, that's for sure.

Rather than entering his ship, he dropped down next to a nearby stream and dunked his head in the flowing water, drawing in a silent gasp at the shocking cold. He bathed his face and hands, wiping the grime of battle from himself, then looked up as the sound of an approaching jet engine met his ears.

The air-car drifted down through the trees, landing lightly with a hiss of dust in the small clearing. Vegeta did a slight double-take when, of all people, Bulma stepped out, glancing towards his ship. He considered calling out to her, but no. His feelings towards her were still far too bitter for that. Standing in the shade of a tall oak tree, he folded his arms and leaned against the bough, watching.

She walked over to his ship, went inside for a few moments, then came out, looking confused and slightly irritable. Vegeta rolled his eyes as she looked around, then walked back over to her air-car. 'For someone so smart, she sure is an idiot sometimes.' He thought dryly to himself, pushing off the tree with his shoulder and walking towards her.

"If you're looking for the celebration party," he called, causing Bulma to wheel around and look for the source of the voice, "it's been relocated to somewhere that isn't near me."

Bulma's eyes locked on to him, and she shook her head before walking towards him, rolling her eyes slightly. She didn't speak as she approached the rather brooding figure. She simply threw her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you." She said quietly.

Vegeta hesitated before wrapping one arm around her shoulders. He half wanted to push her away, but… No. He wanted to say something witty or insulting, but he couldn't bring himself to. He just stood in silence.

"I was so worried about you." She hugged him more tightly for a moment then stepped back. "But I knew you'd pull through in the end. You always do."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. Right now, he honestly wondered if he hadn't been knocked unconscious in the fight against Omega, and if he was simply dreaming this whole conversation. "And what's this all about?" He asked suspiciously.

Bulma's grateful expression faltered and became a frustrated frown. "Why must you make it so difficult to be nice to you?" She sighed. "Seriously, try lightening up once in a while. I came out here to thank you for saving the Earth, you big jerk."

"I didn't do it for the Earth." He replied stoically, folding his arms across his broad chest. "I saw an enemy worth my time and engaged him. Nothing more."

"Oh?" Bulma folded her own arms, tapping her forearm. "Sure it had nothing to do with the fact that if that thing had destroyed the planet, you'd have nowhere to go? Pretty certain no other world would put up with you like we do, ya know." After a moment of silence, grins cracked through their faces simultaneously.

"You put up with me?" Vegeta asked, more playfully now. "Pretty rich, coming from someone who's made a career out of being an insufferable know it all."

"Ass."

"Moron."

Bulma's playful smirk turned into a soft smile, and she took a step closer to him. The Prince unfolded his arms, lightly laying his hands on her hips, his own cocky grin becoming more indulgent. Bulma's eyes closed slightly as she leaned up towards him, and Vegeta bowed his head towards her.

Right before their lips touched, Bulma placed her hand on his chest and lowered her face. "I… I can't do this." She said in a half whisper. "I'm sorry. As much as I want to, I… I can't do it to Goku."

Vegeta's brows knitted together, eyes narrowing, and he exhaled deeply through his nose. Frustration, jealousy and anger coursed through him, and he removed his hands from her waist, placing them on her shoulders and gently moving her out of his path. "Just go." He stormed past her, shoulders hunched in barely controlled rage, his hands trembling. "Get out of my sight."

"Vegeta I'm sorry" Bulma turned, a frown creasing her features, folding her arms more tightly around her chest. "I just…"

"I said go." Vegeta called out without looking back. "Leave, go back to your hero and leave me in peace." Without another word, he jetted off into the skies, a mixture of emotions and thoughts plaguing his mind. He'd long stopped denying his feelings about Bulma, and acknowledged the fact he wanted her back. To an extent. And to have her do this, right after the most intense fight of his life…

Bulma watched him streaking across the skies, a lone tear coursing down her cheek. She still loved him, that much was clear. But on the same token, she loved Goku. With a heavy heart, she returned to her air car, taking a moment to compose herself, then took off in the opposite direction.

The Z Fighters, along with their respective friends and families, would celebrate long into the night beside the ruins of the greatest battle they'd ever faced. The troubles of months gone by were wiped away in the moment, and they rejoiced for the fall of the Shadow Dragons and the end of their trials. In coming days, there would be work to do, decisions to make. Shenron would need to be summoned to restore order to the Earth, although they realized that not all of their problems could be solved by the Eternal Dragon. This was not an incident they could afford to repeat.

But for now, they didn't concern themselves with the past, or the future. They simply laughed, talked and relaxed.

Only one man was excluded from the revelry and celebrations. A solitary figure, standing alone on a high pinnacle of stone, storm clouds circling overhead. A Saiyan Warrior, a self-sentenced pariah. Vegeta, the Exiled Prince.

(Note from the Author:

And thus concludes the first Arc of The Exiled Prince. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Apologies for the time frame between uploads, I've been having internet problems, and I'm sure we all can relate to that.

There is more to come, rest assured. A lot more. Some old faces, some new ones. From this point on, this project will be something of a dual effort, as Christian Gillespie [FF pen name Cale017] will be collaborating with me on future arcs. He is an amazing writer and the creator of the character Cale, whose backstory can be found here on FF dot net. I recommend you take a look at his work, it truly is a fantastic read. My next update may not be for another week or two, but expect things to come back with a bang in the next saga.

Thank you again for reading thus far, I hope you continue to follow my story. Any reviews are greatly appreciated.

Chris)


	23. Chapter 22: Broken Peace

**CHAPTER 1:** Broken peace

-Part 1. "Recap."-

The years of peace had weighed heavily on Vegeta's mind, and the Prince of Saiyans found himself craving his past, lusting for his ruthless days. In an attempt to break the cycle of normality and repetition, Vegeta set himself on the path of Exile, vanishing into the stars. A year passed on Earth, and the Prince returned, reborn. His lust for battle was fresh and keen, and Vegeta turned his renewed combat drive on the first person he met; Gohan.

Things however, didn't quite go according to plan. The Prince allowed Gohan to get under his skin, and was badly beaten in a short but rather intense battle. Full of rage and humiliation, Vegeta returned to his old lonely haunt, brooding for days on end, wondering why Kakarot's miserable son had bested him so easily. After a moment of self-realisation, Vegeta made the transformation to the next level, breaking the barrier and reaching the pinnacle of Super Saiyan 3. The Exiled Prince was back on his game.

After splitting with his wife Chi-Chi around five or six years earlier, Goku found love with childhood friend (and former wife of the narcissistic Prince) Bulma; Something Vegeta was quick to find out. For the first time in nearly 2 years, Vegeta found Goku at his home on Mt. Pao, and the pair found themselves in a highly heated battle. Hiding his jealousy behind a scornful mask, Vegeta (oddly enough) kept his cool while Goku was filled with wrath over the Prince's desertion of Bulma and his constant snide comments about her. This rivalry met it's peak when the two warriors clashed in the heart of East City, the ruthless Saiyan Prince decimating the residence of the bustling hive. Feeling as though he'd failed the people of the city, Goku set out to restore the lives lost, accompanied by Tien Shinhan. After Shenron had granted the wish, Vegeta had arrived on the scene, and a short scuffle between Tien and the Prince had followed.

It was around this time that the inhabitants of the Home for Infinite Losers went to war with one another. On one side were Cell and Frieza, on the other were the Saiyans. For a time, the Saiyans were gaining no ground in the war, until Broly stepped in, destroying all who dared to go near him. It was then that the Saiyans realized that the power of a Super Saiyan would win the battle, and the three impromptu leaders (Raditz, Nappa and King Vegeta himself) all ascended to the next level.

Before long, something needed to be done. The influx of mighty warriors, coupled with the constant fighting, meant that the Afterlife's darkest realm was breaking apart. After a summons from King Yemma, Kibitoshin led a band of fighters from the Grand Kai's planet down through the check-in station, ending the war entirely. However, the damage dealt to the realm created a rip in the fabric of time, and a handful of escapees were recorded. Among them, most worryingly, were the diabolical super villains, Cell and Frieza.

Cell had made his way to Earth, intent upon collecting the Dragonballs and making a wish which would, in short, cause him to be indestructible. Coupled with the years of fighting in Hell, Cell was now strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Majin Buu, and Frieza too had increased his power dramatically. Even reaching the 5th Form.

While Cell scoured the planet for the Dragonballs, another new face landed on Earth; A young Saiyan by the name of Cale. After growing up on Yardrat, the Saiyan had come to Earth looking for Goku, seeking the answer to the Super Saiyan puzzle (which his older brother, Rek, had solved a few years previously), and trying to find a way to unite the Saiyan race.

Again, not all went to plan. Cale first ran into the Prince, who quickly gave him somewhat less than warm welcome, Saiyan style. The young warrior disappeared for the next few weeks, and the Prince returned to his thoughtful brooding.

To try and force himself out of his rut, Vegeta voyaged off into the stars once more. He eventually found himself on a far distant planet, orbited by 3 colossal moons. The sheer amount of Blutz Ways ripping through his form caused Vegeta to regrow his tail, and immediately transformed into the giant ape, Oozaru. But instead of the usual mat of brown fur, the Prince was coated in a coat the color of Super Saiyan Gold. The Prince rampaged, driven mad with power, until a moment of self-realisation caused yet another change.

His form shrunk, enveloped in a cylinder of bright white light, and the figure that stepped out was a Super Saiyan 4.

Vegeta quickly returned to Earth, and 'let slip' the secret to reaching the form. Goku, with the help of Bulma and Trunks (who developed a Blutz Wave generator), progressed to the 4th level to combat Vegeta if need be. Little did they know, the two mighty saiyans wouldn't be fighting each other any time soon.

Over the years, the Dragonballs had been damn near overloaded with negative energy from excessive use, and when Cell summoned the Dragon, a dark, evil Shenron appeared. This new apparition, dubbing himself Blacksmoke Shenron, then proceeded to enlist Cell's services for an upcoming war with the Z Fighters. Blacksmoke would create 7 offspring, the aptly named Shadow Dragons, who would assault the Earth until Blacksmoke decided to carry out his plans of bathing the world in Darkness. The already overpowered Cell, meanwhile, gained another boost when his dark potential was unleashed by the evil Blacksmoke.

The first to encounter the new and improved Cell was Goku's youngest child and only daughter, Chasity. She engaged the twisted Android in combat before the Icejin Frieza made his presence known by taking out the youthful Super Saiyan with a well timed sneak attack.

Vegeta encountered the pair next, and in the early stages of the fight, it seemed that even Cell and Frieza couldn't match the might of the powerful Prince. But, Vegeta's mind was unfocussed, dwelling on a never ending battle in the back of his mind. Part of him wanted his family and old life back; Part of him didn't, would fight tooth and nail to stop it from happening. And so, Cell and Frieza had capitalized, bringing the mighty Saiyan to his knees.

The Z Fighters (with the exception of Vegeta, and the new addition of Cale) gathered together on Kami's lookout. The former guardian Piccolo told them about a darkness growing in the back of his mind, as though something even more powerful than Cell and Frieza would appear before long. The grim prophecies turned out to be true when the Shadow Dragons arrived.

7 powerful creatures, each with their own unique powers. Haze Shenron with his powerful pollution, Rage Shenron and the Dragon Thunderclap, Oceanus Shenron, also known as Princess Ohto and her control over the sea, the blundering Naturon Shenron, Eis and Nuova Shenron, representing Ice and Fire, and finally, Syn Shenron.

While the Z Fighters took down the first 6 Dragons one-by-one, Vegeta continued his vendetta against the duo of Cell and Frieza. After weeks of training, he sought the villains out, separated them, and defeated Frieza in a short but grueling battle. However, right as Vegeta was about to deal the killing blow, Cell stepped in, blinding the Prince with Tien Shinhan's Taioken attack, and the pair fled once more.

After the 6th Dragon, Nuova, was taken down by Goku, Cell and Frieza decided their loyalty to Blacksmoke Shenron was over. Hatching a devious plan, Cell powered himself up to the max and wiped the Dragon from this dimension. His victory however, was short lived. An enraged Syn Shenron arrived at the scene, displaying his own tremendous strength by squashing Cell like a bug. Frieza meanwhile (following the plan he and Cell had come up with) had escaped through the stars.

Then, the battle of the ages had taken place. Goku versus Syn Shenron, high above the world on the Guardian's Lookout. In the early stages, it seemed as though Goku's Super Saiyan 4 strength would be enough to take down the powerful brute. But Syn quickly showed his superior strength, bringing Goku to his knees (along with Kami's lookout to boot).

Right as he was about to deal the finishing blow, an unlikely savior appeared in the shape of Vegeta, the Exiled Prince himself. The two warriors engaged Syn, using hit and run style tactics to wear down the Dragon. The tide of battle shifted, and the two Saiyans were on the verge of victory.

Syn, however, had other plans. Absorbing the other 6 Dragonballs, the Dragon exploded with power, transforming into the mighty Omega Shenron.

Even the strength of two Super Saiyan 4s wasn't enough to combat the might of Omega, and before long, Vegeta realized the only way to overcome this monster was through fusion. Loth as he was to fuse with his most hated rival, Vegeta was willing to cast his pride aside to defeat this foe.

To buy them time to fuse, Gohan, Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, Tien, Cale, Krillin and Yamcha all bravely attacked Omega, drawing his attention away. The two Saiyans fused, forming the ultimate fighter, Gogeta, whose power dwarfed that of Omega, and the mighty dragon was brought down, once and for all…

-Part 2. "The Prince Returns".-

Six months passed in the blinking of an eye for the Z Fighters and their friends, the time of relaxed peace a welcome break from the trials of the last year. With the Shadow Dragons destroyed, there seemed to be nothing left to fight, so the saviors of Earth relaxed their training regimes. Well, all except for Piccolo, and of course Vegeta.

The Prince had largely spent his time cooped up in his ship, brooding as always, and punishing himself with near unbearable training programs, pushing himself further and further beyond his limits. But his mind was unfocussed, his concentration wavering, and he felt himself slipping back into a rut. No one had seen nor heard from him since the day Omega was destroyed. Not that most really cared, though.

Around 2 months after that fateful day, Tien and Cale had just completed a light sparring session out in the frosty mountains where the Triclops usually resided. The pair landed, their breaths coming out in misty fugs. "So, ready to tell me what's putting you off your technique?" Tien asked, a little out of breath.

Cale wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, then shrugged. "I don't really know. I guess it's the whole Super Saiyan thing…" he exhaled a low sigh, dropping down onto a nearby log and stretching out his long gangly legs. "Try as I might, I just can't manage to transform. I mean… It happened so fast the first time, and the second time, I didn't really have time to think about it. I just… _had_ to do it, you know?"

"I guess so." Tien gave a shrug of unsure assent. Not being a Saiyan, he wasn't exactly aware of what it was like to ascend. "Maybe you're just thinking about it too much. Trying to achieve too much, expecting too much of yourself." Tien knew that feeling, alright. "You've done it twice before, so it's not that you're incapable."

Cale slipped into thoughtful silence, lightly gripping his chin. "Hmm… Maybe I should go talk to Goku, or Gohan. Maybe they can tell me how they do it so effortlessly."

"I could save you some trouble and tell you that both Goku and Vegeta spent weeks, months in Space, training to perfect their Super Saiyan abilities. Gohan trained for a year in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to attain his form. And Trunks, Goten and Chasity reached it as kids, out of pure childish enthusiasm." Tien interjected. "Perhaps if you got off-world for a while, did some solo training… It might just put you right."

Cale glanced up sharply, his brow furrowing in though. "You know, I think you might be right." He sighed and rose, cracking his back. "I think I might just need to get away, train on my own, work out what's not working and fix it."

"I'm sure that's all you need. Besides, the training won't kill you. You're getting a little sloppy, if you don't mind me saying." Tien shot Cale a wry smirk.

"That must be why you're struggling to keep up with me, huh?" Cale returned the grin, chuckling under his breath.

Cale stepped over to Tien, extending his hand. "Thanks, Tien. For being a good friend."

"Ah come on, don't go getting all soft on me." Tien said jokingly , grasping hands with the lanky teen. "Train hard. I'm looking forward to putting my abilities to the test against a fully-fledged Super Saiyan when you get back."

"Yes sir." Cale gave Tien a short smile and a nod, then turned, jetting off into the skies. The youth was determined to do what Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and his brother Rek had all done, and master the Super Saiyan transformation. He made himself a silent vow that he wouldn't return until he'd done it. Cale had departed almost at once, his ship zooming off into the unknown.

Another 3 months later, much was the same on Planet Earth. The Z Fighters were slowly but surely returning to their training regimes, preparing for the upcoming World Tournament. For weeks now, they couldn't go anywhere without seeing the World Champion's face or hearing his booming, ear-splitting laughter. Billboards, advertisements, commercials, even public parades. This was supposedly going to be Mr. Satan's final tournament, after holding the title for close to 25 years.

Vegeta woke from an uneasy sleep, rising at sitting on the edge of his bed, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. The dark circles under his eyes and generally unkempt air were enough indication as to Vegeta's life over the last 9 months. The old battle in the back of his mind had picked up with incredible intensity, so that even when nearly killing himself in the course of his training, the voices in his head nearly screamed at him on a constant basis.

The Prince had been losing sleep, neglecting to eat, and had been unable to focus on anything but his self-estranged family. When he left the confines of his trashed ship, he often spotted his old "friends" and family going happily about their lives. It took all of his self control not to blast them into hell itself. Instead, he'd clench his fists, narrow his eyes and storm off in the other direction.

Tired of living like he was, Vegeta rose from his bed, stumbling on the litter of cans, bottles and broken furniture in his darkened room and ambled distractedly towards the shower. He had to _something_, aside from wallowing in self pity and living like a tramp. He was a proud Saiyan warrior, and proud warriors didn't allow foolish humans to get under his skin like this.

The steaming hot water seemed to revitalize the brooding Prince, standing underneath the flow, eyes closed, head turned upwards. Time to get out of the rut, he decided. But how would he do it?

Soon after, Vegeta tore through the skies, eyes narrowed in determination, leaving a violet aura trail in the sky as he made a b-line for West City. The Prince was dressed for the occasion, wearing (for the first time since the Cell Games) a set of Saiyan armor, the almost metallic suit glinting in the mid-morning light.

His plan was to arrive on Bulma's doorstep, give her a solid piece of his mind, then drag Kakarot out into the wastes for a fight. Sure, after weeks of lazily training and not being able to focus his mind, Goku would probably pound him into the dust. But hell, he'd except a beating even from his goody two-shoes rival if it meant he'd be clawing out of the hole he'd dug himself into.

As he passed over the limits of the sprawling metropolis, a faint power-level tweaked his senses. Slowing down slightly, the Prince blinked, glancing over his shoulder. That energy was familiar, although if his senses were right, Cale had increased his power-level exponentially since the day Omega Shenron was taken down. And, oddly enough, he seemed to be heading Vegeta's way.

Vegeta, however, had bigger fish to fry. Once he reached Capsule Corp, he dropped down from the skies, suppressing his power-level as he stood in front of the gates. Now, how best to go about it? Kick down the door? Knock politely? Blast a hole in her office window? Blast the whole damn building? As he stood there debating his next course of action, another approaching energy zapped his senses. Hot on Cale's heels. Unless he was mistaken, it belonged to Yamcha. "Curious…" muttered the Prince, leaning casually against the gates and tapping his chin, staring off into the skies. "Very curious…"

Before long, his predictions rang true, as a rather distressed looking Cale zoomed low, damn near blowing the fence down with the force of his landing, and sprinted into the building. Yamcha followed soon after, glaring angrily as he too touched down on the other side of the fence. "Get back here, you murderer!" he shouted, bursting through the doors.

"Murderer…" the Prince echoed, narrowing his eyes. His curiosity had been piqued. All thoughts of fighting Goku (who, according to his senses, was nowhere nearby) and confronting Bulma had been washed away. Vegeta wanted to find out what the hell was going on here.

He skulked around for the next 30 minutes, waiting for the unlikely travelling companions to emerge. Yamcha had made it no secret that he didn't like Cale, nor really trust him. And Cale had been quite open about his dislike of Yamcha's lax attitude towards training and his constant jokes. When they appeared, Cale seemed more relaxed and solemn, Yamcha still livid. From his vantage point, Vegeta watched Bulma step out with them, handing a small, round object to Cale. "Sure you don't need a ship, Cale?"

"No, no…" the young Saiyan replied quietly. "My ship will be fine. It'll get us there in 5 days max. I just hope that I can fix this." He tucked the Dragon Radar into his pocket.

"Hey, relax." She said encouragingly. "We all make mistakes."

"It wasn't a mistake, Bulma!" Yamcha growled, clenching his fists. "This bastard killed him, I saw it with my own eyes. He's no better than Vegeta." Cale, who had brightened a little at Bulma's words, dropped his head.

A loud booming noise, however, ripped through the street a moment later. A heavily decorated van, adorned with streamers and speakers, trundled past, Mr Satan's voice crashing all around them. The van blared one of the Champ's speeches, the crowd that followed like a pack of lemmings chanted and cheered. The procession was enough to make Vegeta grind his teeth in annoyance, doing his best not to unleash oblivion on them.

The distraction had been more than just a mild nuisance. When the stampeding crowds had dwindled, Vegeta caught the end of Yamcha's words. "All right. Let's get this show on the road. Follow. Me." The bandit shot Cale one last venomous stare, before the two of them blasted off into the skies.

Vegeta stood by the gates for a moment longer, a thoughtful frown creasing his high forehead. He wasn't exactly sure what had happened, or where Cale and Yamcha were off to with the Dragon Radar, but the Saiyan Prince had a hunch. Shenron had been summoned less than a year ago, to restore order to the world which had been plagued by the Shadow Dragons. And there was only one other place to go in order to make a wish.

Going with his hunch, Vegeta lifted off into the air, slowly following along in Cale and Yamcha's trail. He held back, not wanting them to know he was coming, keeping his power level suppressed as much as possible.

The human and the Saiyan weren't dawdling. The two were flying at breakneck speed, making Vegeta all the more curious. Why were they in such a rush? Who had Cale 'murdered'? Why had Bulma seemed so accepting, yet Yamcha had been livid? The Prince halted in mid-air, that thoughtful frown returning. If those two were off to Namek (or, New Namek), therein lied a golden opportunity for Vegeta to go back to his ruthless ways. He could either con or threaten Cale and Yamcha to take him with them, and once they gathered the Dragonballs and summoned Porunga, Vegeta could step in and make the wish he first went to Namek to achieve; Immortality.

"And then, nothing would ever stand in my way." He said quietly in determination, clenching a fist. "Not even death itself." Filled with renewed vigor, Vegeta changed course, heading off to where Cale's ship had landed a few days before.

In a clearing around 20 miles out of West City, Vegeta touched down beside Cale's Yardratian ship, glancing around him. The clearing had been made when Cale's ship had landed, it seemed, and the oddly shaped vessel sat in a small impact crater amidst the trees. According to his senses, there was no one on board, or in the immediate vicinity. Vegeta closed his eyes, reaching out with his combat senses, picking up 3 power-levels not too far away. "Hmm… Cale, Yamcha, and Krillin…" he said quietly, opening his eyes. "Better get out of sight. I don't want to ruin the surprise." With his usual smirk, he slinked off into the trees, waiting for the trio to arrive.

They touched down together simultaneously, Yamcha and Krillin both carrying back packs, clearly prepared for a trip away. "So 5 days to New Namek?" Krillin asked, dropping his pack and tightening his belt.

Cale nodded grimly. "Yeah, give or take. I've got more than enough food to last the trip, and there'll be plenty of room for all 3 of us on my ship. It's even equipped with a training room…" Cale's words were cut off when Yamcha seized him roughly by the collar.  
>"This isn't a damn holiday, Cale!" Yamcha snapped. "We're not coming with you to relax and hang out and be pals. You murdered Tien, you bastard."<p>

Cale wrenched himself from Yamcha's grip, clenching his fists. "It was an _accident_, Yamcha." He said in a low, quiet voice. "I never meant for any of this to happen. And I'm doing all I can to fix it. So please, get the hell off my back."

Yamcha was on the verge of an angry retort when a cold, snide voice drifted over to them. "Murdered Tien? Did I hear you right?" Vegeta, swaggering arrogantly towards them, cocky smirk etched into his features. "So, turns out Cale _does_ have the blood of a Saiyan in him after all. You've taken me by surprise, whelp."

"This doesn't concern you, Vegeta." Cale said, whilst Yamcha and Krillin hastily turned towards the Prince. "If you'll excuse us, we're about to leave."

"Off to Namek, eh?" he asked, coming to a halt around 3 feet away from the trio. "And just the three of you are going?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Yamcha asked, trying to sound braver than he felt.

"Awfully foolhardy of you, considering Frieza's still out there."

Cale's defiant stare broke, unfolding his arms, his mouth falling slightly open. The youth had completely forgotten about Frieza. Krillin and Yamcha exchanged horrified glances. "Hey guys… Maybe we should bring Goku along with us. Just in case." Krillin said with a quick glance at Cale. Now, it seemed, it would be only Goku and Vegeta who had the strength to defeat Frieza in his fifth form.

"Don't be ridiculous." Vegeta spoke up, shaking his head. "Kakarot isn't even here. If you waited around for him to return from Other World, it could be days, weeks even, until you could set off."

Cale narrowed his eyes. "If you've got a point, make it."

"Very well. I propose that I go with you."

The younger Saiyan lifted an eyebrow suspiciously. "Oh? And why would you propose that? Looking out for our safety and well-being?"

"Ha. Like I care if any of you three clowns die. This is personal. I have a score to settle with Frieza, and if he's out there, I plan on hunting him down." This wasn't entirely untrue. The Prince did indeed have score to settle with the Icejin. Although he felt it was highly unlikely that Frieza would be on Namek at all.

Cale seemed to ponder the Prince's words. He could feel a grain of truth hidden there, but he could also tell that Vegeta wasn't being completely honest. Despite this, with the risk of running into Frieza (or Gods knew whatever else was lurking out there), they needed a heavy hitter. And Vegeta was about as heavy as any hitter got. Yamcha and Krillin simply looked from Cale to Vegeta, waiting for one of them to talk.

"… Alright, Vegeta." Cale said with a sharp nod. "You can join us. Just don't try anything funny. You got that?"

Vegeta raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Oh don't you worry, I'll be on my _very best_ behavior."

((Note: This chapter will be reposted in a new story.))


	24. Chapter 23: The Journey

**Chapter Two:** The Journey.

-Part 1. "Cabin Fever"-

Vegeta drifted in the empty blackness of space, stars and constellations swirling overhead. A faint violet aura crackled in the air around the Prince, as he scanned the velvety blackness with his dark eyes.

As if from nowhere, the android Cell appeared, swinging his leg from above towards Vegeta's neck, and the Prince raised an arm to block the strike. His eyes locked on to Cell's, and with a roar, he ascended to the Super Saiyan level, his blazing aura as golden as his hair. He flipped, aiming to drive his heels under the chin of the diabolical android, but Cell vanished as if into thin air.

A high pitched whine from behind him alerted him to a second presence, and he narrowly avoided the thin purple beam from the tip of Frieza's outstretched finger. The Icejin let out a cackle, also vanishing, and moments later reappeared along with Cell, swinging mirrored punches towards Vegeta's gut.

With quick, fluid movements, Vegeta raised his arms and crossed them, bearing the brunt of the attack, then threw his arms wide with a growl. An explosive barrier radiated out from him, pushing the two beings out into the distance, but before Vegeta could follow up, Cell's arm slid around his throat from behind, and Frieza appeared before him, eyes narrowed maliciously. His thin, purple lips parted in a chuckle, pointing his finger between Vegeta's eyes, a tiny orb of energy growing into existence.

"Hey… Vegeta? You got a minute?"

Vegeta's eyes snapped open, hovering a few feet off the ground with his legs folded and arms crossed over his chest, shoulders hunched, a few beads of sweat trickling down his brow. He lifted his face, glaring across the room at whoever had been stupid enough to interrupt his training.

"Yamcha…" he growled, glaring at the scar-faced warrior. "No, I don't have a minute. You, however, have about 5 seconds before I tear your limbs off."

Yamcha swallowed heavily, steeling himself and taking a step into the gravity room on Cale's ship. "Look, I know I'm not your favourite person, but…"

"5… 4…"

"H-hey hold up! I just wanted to talk to you about…"

"3… 2…"

"Alright! I get it!" Yamcha threw his hands up, quickly retreating backwards from the room, not wanting to be on the receiving end of Vegeta's wrath. The Prince smirked to himself as the door slid closed, and he closed his eyes once more, hunching his shoulders, intending to return to his image training. But, before he could slip back into his mind, his now alert senses picked up a second power level moving towards him.

Cale's.

Once more, the electronic door opened with a hiss, and Cale strode into the room, folding his arms and gazing over at the Prince. "Alright." He said stiffly. "We gotta talk. Now."

Frowning, Vegeta let out an annoyed grunt, raising his hand and firing off a small orb of ki in Cale's direction. The attack had been little more than a warning shot, as not even Vegeta was arrogant enough to try and blast anyone apart while they were zooming through the vacuum of space. Cale caught the orb with ease, his fingers trembling as they snapped closed around it, a puff of violet smoke erupting from between the gaps in his fingers.

"Sorry Vegeta, this is one conversation you can't threaten your way out of." Cale dusted his palms, his tail coiling around his waist, taking another step into the room.

"Who said anything about threats?" Vegeta finally cracked open an eye, staring over at the gangly youth. "I don't make threats, I make promises. And I promise, if you don't get the hell out of my sight, they'll be mailing what's left of you home in a match box."

"What, and blow up the ship around you?" Cale quirked a brow, folding his arms again. "…Yeah, I didn't think so. We're talking. My ship, my rules. If you don't like it, well, this training room has an airlock. Feel free to use it."

Vegeta merely closed his eyes, accepting defeat. Annoyance that Cale had called his bluff rose in him, and his lip twitched in a sneer. "Well come on then, make it snappy." he snarled.

A tiny smirk played about the corners of Cale's mouth, and while he was pleased that he'd gotten Vegeta to comply, he was thankful that the Prince hadn't been watching. The young Saiyan didn't fancy spending the next few hours unconscious with a broken nose. "Two things." he said briskly, leaning a shoulder against the wall. "Firstly; You may have fooled the others that your only reason for coming is because you have some score to settle with Frieza, but you haven't pulled the wool over _my _eyes. I know from the moment you offered to come, you had some form of ulterior motive lying underneath your apparent vendetta. And I want to know what said motive is. Why did you _really_ want to come?"

Now, it was Vegeta's turn to smirk. Despite his loathing for the boy, he had to admit, the kid was sharp. He hadn't expected Cale to work out he wasn't hear to fight the Icejin until after they'd arrived on Namek, at least. "Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies." the elder saiyan replied slyly, his shoulders twitching in silent laughter.

"But you _do _have another reason for coming, right?"

Vegeta allowed himself to levitate slightly higher, then unfolded his legs, his boots making contact with the ground as he stood. "Of course I do. You really think that Frieza is going to wait for one of us to track him down? He wants to kill Kakarot and I as much as I want to kill _him_. He'll show up on Earth sooner or later. No, I didn't come to settle the score with him. I know I'll get my chance before long."

Cale frowned, his eyebrows knitting together in combined annoyance and confusion. Why was Vegeta telling him this? He had to know that Cale wouldn't allow him to stay on board if he was going to get in the way of their reviving Tien. He opened his mouth to speak, but Vegeta beat him to it.

"No, I'm not going to stop you from returning the 3-eyed freak to life." Vegeta spat in annoyance. "Nor am I going to hinder your trip, nor your return journey."

Strangely enough, Vegeta had just addressed the main 3 issues he had with Vegeta's real reason for coming. Of course, the youth would be keeping a close eye on the Exiled Prince, but for now, he seemed satisfied with Vegeta's reply. "Good. Let's keep it that way." he said with a stern nod. "Now the second question. What's bothering you so much that you can't focus properly?"

"... Excuse me?"

Cale glanced towards one of the windows, folding his arms. "You've been in here, training, ever since we left. Couldn't help but notice that your Ki is all over the place. I'd wager that it's got something to do with your concentration wavering. So, what's got you so worked up you can barely keep your energy at a constant level?"

The silence in the room was so thick, you could almost cut it with a knife. Cale had touched on a topic that Vegeta had absolutely no desire to discuss. Just being reminded of it, and thinking about it, made him furious. Slowly, a few items around the room trembled, and static electricity crackled in the air. "You ask me that question again, boy..." Vegeta began in a deadly growl, his hands balling into fists and a vein bulging in his temple. "... I'll string you up by your entrails and leave you as a feast for the wolves and carrion fowl of the wastes. Do I make myself clear?"

One year ago, Cale would most likely have pressed the issue. Retorted with a witty or snide remark, quite possibly antagonised the Prince further. But, over the last year, Cale had seen and experienced much, especially in the last few months. The Cale who answered was much wiser than the snarky youth who had landed on Earth a little over a year ago, wiser than his 19 years suggested.

"Perfectly." He gave a sharp nod and turned on his heel, striding from the room.

-Part 2. "Not All Is Well."-

As the journey to New Namek reached it's closing hours, yet another argument had broken out between the travellers. And, unsurprisingly, the two involved were Yamcha and Cale. For the last half an hour, the two had been throwing snide comments at each other, their subtle insults growing less and less so until it escalated into a full blown shouting match.

"Listen up, tough guy." Yamcha spat angrily, jabbing Cale in the chest with his index finger, red in the face. "When we get to Namek, you're doing what _I _say. Capiche?!"

Yamcha had been pressing on Cale's already frayed nerves for the last week, and with Namek coming closer tensions were getting yet higher. When Yamcha had started making comments towards Cale, his wavering patience had snapped and he'd stooped to Yamcha's level.

"Excuse me?" Cale asked, smacking Yamcha's finger away from his chest. "You're lucky I even let you on this damned ship, Yamcha! It's apparent to everyone else that I know what I did, but you're the only one who's acting like I don't care about fixing it. I'm not going to tell you to do what I say, but I'm sure as hell not going to follow your orders anymore than I would Vegeta's!"

"You know what you did?!" Yamcha exclaimed angrily, his hands balling into fists. "You murdered a friend who trusted you. In cold blood! I was there, remember?! I saw the whole thing! Pass it off however you like, but you showed us, yet again, why we can't trust saiyans! And I'll be damned if you're leading us on Namek! You'll probably just take the Dragonballs for yourself once we get there, and wish for immortality or something!"

"I think all that hair is impairing your hearing," Cale shot back, stepping forwards. He wasn't exactly as built as the other Saiyans, but Yamcha wasn't exactly someone he was afraid of. "Or are you just choosing to ignore me saying I'm not leading anything?"

"I'm just making it very, very clear, that when we get there... I say "Jump", you say "How high?". I'm keeping my eye on you, so you don't go MURDERING anyone else."

"You say "jump"," Cale returned, turning and walking away with a chuckle. He sat down at the table in his dining area, resuming his work polishing Edge. "And I'll say go screw yourself." A few months ago he wouldn't have been so lax with his language, but his time on Earth had taught him a few choice insults.

"I'm not here for you. I'm here for Tien."

Yamcha continued to sneer angrily at the lanky youth, his fists trembling with anger. Slowly, his hands unclenched, and a slow smirk replaced the snarl. "Maybe you shouldn't have come back. You could have gone planet conquering with your brother." he said quietly, folding his arms. "Sounds like your kinda thing. Killing and enslaving innocent life. Could've opened up your own family business, right bro?"

That was it. Cale launched himself over the table, the furniture flipping over, and went straight for Yamcha. He grabbed and lifted the human by the shirt, pinning him against a wall and making sure he pressed his right forearm into his neck to cut off a fair bit of his breathing.

"What in HELL makes you think you can talk about my brother?!" he demanded, pulling back and slamming him against the wall quickly. "That's not something I would ever do, and I'm going to stop him from doing it any more!"

Flaring up himself, Yamcha grasped the shoulder straps of Cale's armor, baring his teeth, eyes narrowing dangerously. "From what I can see, you're no better!" he growled. "And, if the others weren't so trusting and accepting, they'd run you out of town like the sadistic and violent asshole you are!"

At that moment, the two warriors were seized simultaneously, gloved hands painfully grabbing them by the back of the head, and their foreheads were slammed together with jarring force. Yamcha bounced back from the collision, slamming into the wall and sliding down it, while Cale staggered back, tripping over the overturned table.

"You two bicker like a pair of squabbling children." Vegeta's gravelly voice echoed through the room. The prince glared at the two, annoyance etched into his scowling face. "Save your pointless and pathetic arguments for when we arrive, so I don't have to put up with it."

Cale's fingers grasped the edge of the horizontally aligned table, pulling himself up with a small groan. He gripped the side of his head, that side's eye closed, and glared up at Vegeta. "Why won't you have to put up to it, Vegeta?" he asked, standing up. "Going to leave us all to handle your own business? If anything, you're the one who should be left on the ship. I still don't trust you not to stab us all in the back."

Vegeta's lip curled as Cale retorted snidely, and he resisted the temptation to give the brat a sharp kick to the ribs. "If you hadn't been having your little tiff with this idiot," he began, jerking a thumb towards the bandit, "you'd have noticed that we're going to have trouble on our hands on Namek. Go take a look." The Prince pointed to the spherical porthole window, where the top arc of the green orb of Namek was visible amidst the stars. "Tell me what you see."

Cale's anger melted, and he glanced out of the window. It was... pockmarked? That wasn't how Namek was supposed to be, not from what he'd heard. He ran over to the main navigational console of his ship, sitting in the pilot's chair and pulling up an image from the ship's exterior camera. His hands flew across the keyboard as the picture zoomed in. "... wha..." he leaned closer to the screen, hoping to make out the details better. "It looks like... like Namek was hit by asteroids..."

Vegeta stood behind the chair, his arms folded, eyes narrowed. "Those aren't asteroid craters." he said quietly. The Prince, being a former galactic raider of sorts, knew what asteroid craters looked like. And these scattered indentations weren't made by asteroids. "Those are blast craters, made by ki-based energy blasts. Planet Namek has been attacked."

Cale's hands froze on the keyboard, his eyes locked on the screen. "... but by what?"

[LE PLOT THICKENS!

You guys know the drill, lemme know what you think so far! Also, sorry for length between replies!]


	25. Chapter 24: Not All Is Well

**Chapter Three:** Not all is well

-Part 1. "Arrival".-

"Damn... what happened here?" Yamcha was the first to voice the question on everyone's mind as they departed Cale's ship, gazing out across the once tranquil landscape of New Namek. The area around their landing zone was a total wreck, barely resembling the peaceful and sleepy village it had once been. Blast craters peppered the fields, the houses were trashed and broken, and over a dozen lifeless bodies littered the area.

Vegeta's dark eyes surveyed the scene with cold indifference; He could care less about a few weakling Nameks. What he cared about was the Dragonballs, and finding them before whoever else was here did. "An attack, no doubt." Vegeta replied icily, folding his arms across his chest and putting his senses out. He could detect nothing anywhere near by. New Namek was a planet-sized ghost town, for all evidence shown.

Cale stepped out slowly, sliding Edge's strap around his torso as he cast his eyes, a growing anger and sadness joining his confusion. He walked to a crater, the tattered remains of a shirt covering what remained of a Namekian child.

"Who would do this?" he asked, looking back towards the others. "Y'all told me that Frieza was the only other 'one who knew about the Namekian Dragon Balls." Cale may not have been there himself, or even out of his cryo sleep yet, but he'd been told all of the stories of the Z Fighters prior to his arrival. "You don't think Frieza is here... Do you?"

Vegeta gazed off into the distance, eyes narrowing, and he moved off to the edge of the biggest crater of the lot, kneeling and scooping up a handful of dust. "I don't think this was Frieza." He muttered, opening his palm and allowing the dust to trickle off into the breeze. "Trust me when I say Frieza prefers the grander approach. There would be nothing left of this village if Frieza were the culprit."

"Then... Who else could have done this?" Krillin queried, glancing from Yamcha to Cale. "I mean, Cale's right. No one apart from Frieza even knows about Namek's Dragonballs."

Cale stood from where he was crouched, turning quickly as he sensed something above them and closing in fast. His eyes narrowed, his hand moving to grip Edge's hilt. "D... Do you feel that? It doesn't feel like anything that shouls belong here." He watched on as a red speck appeared in the distance, a light cape billowing behind the red demon, the other Z Fighters following his eye line to the skies.

Vegeta rose swiftly, his sneering face now wearing a troubled look. He knew that power level, all right. So did Krillin. "Brace yourselves... This might get ugly..."

Dabura's face was a grinning mask, his fanged, twisted smile etched in place. And, clinging to his back, chuckling wildly, was the cockroach-like wizard, Babidi.

"Ah g-guys... We ah... We should probably get outta here..." Krillin said nervously, his hands twitching. Yamcha seemed to be thinking along the same lines, as he slowly and steadily began moving towards the ship.

"Stay where you are, all of you." Vegeta barked bluntly, partially glancing over his shoulder. A moment later, he vanished, reappearing slightly in front of Cale and the others, his back to them, eyes on the Demon and the Wizard.

The duo touched down, Babidi leaping from Dabura's back, and he let out a wicked cackle. "Look at this, Dabura!" he laughed. "It's those pesky Earth fleas who tried to stop us resurrecting Majin Buu!"

"I don't recognise the fourth, Master." Dabura added in his horribly baritone voice. "He is a pureblooded Saiyan, without a doubt."

"I wouldn't be worried about the whelp if I were you, Dabura." Vegeta cut in, his trademark smirk back in place. "If I remember correctly, you couldn't even defeat Kakarot's son all those years ago. And rest assured, I'm far, far stronger than he has ever been."

"Ooooh, are you sure, Vegeta?" Babidi crooned, his crystal ball slipping out from his sleeve into his open palm. "I can read your mind, Saiyan, and your power level."

"Agreed." Dabura concurred. "Vegeta's powerlevel is unstable at best. He's not much of a threat to us anymore. Neither is the other Saiyan."

At this, Vegeta's hands balled into fists, his smirk making way for an aggravated sneer. "Care to prove that, Dabura?" The Demon King merely grinned, a light chuckle passing between his lips. Cale's mind was reeling, doing his best to piece it all together. This was Babidi and Dabura? But they should have been dead, in hell. Had they fought their way out with Cell and Frieza, and how many others had?

Cale glanced at Vegeta, Dabura's words echoing his own thoughts. Vegeta _was_ unstable, bringing him had been a huge risk. He stepped out from behind Vegeta, his hand falling from Edge to appear less hostile as he addressed the two. "Last I heard you two should be in hell," he called. "Mind explaining what makes you think you shouldn't be?"

Babidi let out another wicked cackle. "But that would be telling!" he laughed sycophantically. "I don't see why you want to know anyway... You'll be dead before you can tell anyone! Dabura, kill them all!"

The Demon, however, stood his ground. "Perhaps, Master, it would be a better idea to let Pui Pui and Yakon stretch their legs. They've been eager to fight since we escaped, and these puny creatures should provide them with the entertainment they so surely crave."

Babidi's face remained as an excited, gleeful smile, but you could almost hear the cogs working in his brain as he pondered Dabura's suggestion, frozen in place with his finger outstretched, pointing at the group of Z Fighters. "... Yes! Yes yes yes! Ah Dabura, such a BRILLIANT idea!" he laughed, rubbing his hands together as the crystal ball floated beside him in mid-air. "Pui Pui... Yakon... Come on out and play! PAPARAPAPA!"

-Part 2. "Prepare for War."-

With a flash of light, the two powerful minions appeared between the two factions; The bulbous, green Yakon and the more streamline Pui Pui. It was clear to Vegeta that these two (and, especially Dabura) had powered up greatly since the last time they'd encountered them. They were still not much of a threat, but Dabura...

Resigning themselves to the fight, Krillin and Yamcha adopted their stances, their white auras springing into life around them.

Cale's foot slid forwards as he drew Edge, the metal wringing as it left its sheathe. The smaller one didn't feel like anything Cale couldn't handle on his own, but the pair might cause a problem. Even if Vegeta was unstable, he still had enough power to handle them.

He was quickly shifting between relief and anxiety over having allowed Vegeta along with them. He could easily be more of a liability at this point, but with the Demon King here Cale and the humans were outmatched. He only hoped Vegeta would find it in his best interests to stay and help; Cale would be unable to even try any attempts to reign in the haughty prince now that Babidi was on Namek.

He looked up towards Yakon and Pui Pui, trying to remember who they were from the stories. The purple Pui Pui wouldn't be much of a threat, but Yakon... He was the one that could eat light and grow more powerful. Going Super Saiyan would only give him more energy to feed from. "They've beaten you once, Babidi," he pointed out, his aura appearing. "It's nothing we can't all do again."

Pui Pui snickered, chuckling behind his hand. "Ah, the little Saiyan thinks he can handle us. Adorable." Meanwhile, Yakon guffawed and drooled, acidic saliva dripping from his fangs.

"You're outmatched, boy!" Babidi shrieked, pulling the circular power meter from the depths of the crystal ball and pointing it at Cale. "600 killis! Is that all! Bahahaha!"

"We've got your back, Cale." Krillin said firmly with a nod, his aura flaring.

Babidi, Pui Pui, and Yakon were all underestimating him solely because he was allowing them to. They won't be expecting the kind of power he can put out with a single attack, but who to surprise? He only gets one shot at a surprise, after all. His eyes slid between Yakon and Pui Pui, analyzing. Pui Pui he could likely finish with one well placed attack, but Yakon was more dangerous. He needed to try and take that beast out first.

"Wait," he said to Krillin and Yamcha. "There's no need to waste your energy, you two need to save it just in case. I can handle this." Cale's aura sprang into life around him, the silver blaze exploding for a moment before he vanished from view. A second later he reappeared above Yakon, swinging downwards with a mighty cleave.

Yakon was quicker than he looked. In a split second, his arm-scythes had extended with a loud ringing "snikt", and he crossed them above his head, sparks flying from the impact of blade against claw. Pui Pui acted instantly, swivelling on the spot and raising an palm, bracing his forearm with the opposite hand, firing a fast orb of glowing crimson ki towards the airborn Saiyan. Keeping the blade down, holding back any form of attack from Yakon's claws, Cale pivoted in mid-air, his right leg lashing out in a spinning kick, and redirected the orb towards the ever smirking Dabura.

"DABURA LOOK OUT!" Babidi shrieked, leaping out of harm's way as the orb impacted with the Demon, exploding in a bright display of light and smoke. When the smoke had cleared, Dabura was completely unharmed. Although, he wasn't smiling anymore.

The three fighters vanished from view, battling across the green skies. "Whoa! Cale is really movin'!" Krillin shouted gleefully, pumping a fist into the air, his eyes darting left and right, following the combatants. Yamcha watched on, arms folded, not at all wanting to admit he was impressed. Babidi shouted encouragement to Yakon and Pui Pui, who were using clever team tactics; Pui Pui kept on the outskirts, using his pinpoint blasts to try and hem Cale in while Yakon moved in, attacking with incredible speed and strength, utilising his scythes to combat Cale's Yardratian blade. The young Saiyan, though, was countering with fluid movements, checking slashes and stabs from the monster, trying to find an opening. Dabura watched on intently, but Vegeta had eyes only for the Demon King.

With his already broken concentration and frayed nerves, the shot at Vegeta's pride was like a mortal wound. Seething angrily, he clenched his hands into fists, his lip twitching in silent curses. He hated to admit this, even silently, but an encounter with the devil could quite probably be too much for him to handle. His mind was all over the place, and to reach his full power required 100% clarity of mind. The Demon King was far, far stronger than he was in his past life, that was for sure. And Vegeta was off his game.

A sudden change in the battle; Cale and Yakon appeared on the ground, Yakon pinning Cale's arms to his side in a crushing bear hug. The Saiyan struggled, but Pui Pui appeared a few moments later, sprinting towards them and laughing wickedly.

"That's it Pui Pui! Bop him on the head! Bop him on the head!" Babidi shrieked, wildly beating himself over the head in his excitement. "Hit him! Give him the ol' one-two!"

Cale could sense the trouble coming, and struggled against Yakon's grip, but the monster proved too strong, even for him. He didn't want to have to ascend; He'd mastered the form on his training voyage into space, but after recent events... He still saw it as a power he couldn't control, that changed him into something he didn't like. But, he couldn't see any other option.

Gritting his teeth, his aura sparked as his eyes snapped to blazing teal, his short hair spiking up and flashing golden. With a scream, he broke free of Yakon's grip, ascending to Super Saiyan, and the blast of power sent the monster reeling. Pui Pui was too close to pull out of the attack now, but was knocked aside effortlessly from a leaping axe kick from Cale, and the Saiyan scooped up his dropped sword, spinning it in his palm to better his grip and waited for Babidi's goons to come towards him again.

"You're more skilled than I gave you credit for, boy." Cale's eyes snapped directly towards the source of the voice. It was Dabura. The Demon King had taken a few steps forward, and a dark malice lingered in his eyes. "Master Babidi, this one is far too strong for Pui Pui and Yakon to dispose of. Perhaps I should take a more personal interest in the Saiyan's eradication?"

Babidi gave a cackle, rubbing his hands together. "I think you may be right, Dabura. He shouldn't prove much of a problem to _you_, though! The brat is indeed strong, but nothing compared to the King of the Demons!"

"I have a name, you know." Cale turned fully to face the pair, his grip on his blade tightening. "My name is Cale. And if you think that I'm just going to roll over and die... Think again."

"Well, _Cale_..." Dabura began, icily. "I'd be very disappointed if you didn't put up some form of fight. There's no entertainment in it for me if you simply gave up."

Meanwhile, Vegeta's temper was boiling over. Teeth clenched, a vein ticking in his temple, hands clenched into fists and trembling, the Saiyan Prince saw Dabura's total dismissal as a major shot to his pride. The Demon wished to fight Cale, but acted as though Vegeta wasn't even a threat.

"Oh believe me... You'll get your entertainment." Cale took his stance, clutching Edge, his aura sparking. "And then some."

"Very well. Let's see how you fare against the King of the Demons." Dabura replied with a sadistic smile.

Out of nowhere, a violet blur zipped across the battlefield, and Dabura was sent crashing to the ground. Babidi let out a frightened squeak, leaping backwards, his feet tangling in his cape and he banged heavily into a rock, seeing stars. Vegeta's face, however, was a mask of rage. His elbow still outstretched, marking where he had stopped to strike the demon, his eyes glaring. "I will _not_ be ignored like this!" he growled, his feet digging into the ground as he took his stance. "I am Vegeta, the mightiest warrior the universe has ever known."

Dabura rose to his feet, dust and dirt falling from his shoulders, a thin trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. But the Demon continued to grin wickedly, wiping the blood away with the back of his hand. "Are you so eager to die, Vegeta?" he asked. "Not content to simply wait your turn like a good little Saiyan? Very well." He flicked his eyebrows mockingly, adopting his stance. "As you wish. Master Babidi, I can handle Vegeta alone. Pui Pui and Yakon could better serve elsewhere, I believe."

"I agree. Pui Pui, Yakon! I have some work for you boys!" The wizard waved his hands again. "PAPARAPAPA!" His two henchmen were whisked away immediately in a flash of light, and the stage was set for Vegeta's showdown with the King of Demons.

"Well... What are you waiting for, Prince?" Dabura's grin widened. "An invitation?"

Vegeta let loose an animalistic snarl, his aura flashing and shifting to the deep gold of Super Saiyan, but he didn't stop there. Dabura, he knew from experience, was an exceptional fighter. One that was both powerful and cunning. The Demon King would have made the likes of Frieza tremble in their boots. He couldn't afford to play with his food this time. Vegeta needed to devour him quickly. The ground trembled below him, a high wind kicking up in all directions, fissures and tremors cracking the earth. The clouds in the green skies swirled, and Vegeta screamed to the heavens, exploding with energy into his second transformation.

"Man oh man! I'm glad he's on our side!" Yamcha shouted over the howling winds, doing his best to stand his ground.

"His power is immense!" Krillin agreed, his arms crossed in front of him as chips of stone crashed into the pair of humans.

Cale, his golden aura crackling about him, watched on with a troubled face. "Something isn't right..." he muttered, his voice whipped away by the roar of Vegeta's surging power. "He was far, far stronger than this when he fought Cell and Frieza. Even more so against the Dragon." His thoughts slipped back to their journey here, and Vegeta's fury when Cale questioned his troubles. The youth couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was amiss with the Prince.

Something was horribly wrong.


	26. Chapter 25: From Riches to Rags

Chapter 24: From Riches to Rags

The battle began without so much as a cue, the two fighters immediately vanishing, scorching the blue grass with the force of their collisions. The rocketed across the landscape, trading blows, ripping apart the earth and sky alike. Both Yamcha and Krillin struggled to keep up with the frantic pace, their eyes darting too and fro. Cale, however, saw everything in his heightened state, keeping his stance neutral.

From what the Saiyan could see, Vegeta was thus far keeping a stride ahead of the Demon King. Vegeta's furious expression was slowly giving way to a more relaxed glare, thinking he was leagues ahead. Cale, however, could see and feel otherwise. Dabura's power, while scarily high, was just a chink of light behind the curtain. The King was holding back, while Vegeta was giving it his all.

The King was suddenly knocked from the skies by a savage axe-handle strike, careening to the ground hard enough to kick dust and debris into the air, an impact crater forming around him. "What are you doing Dabura?!" Babidi shrieked furiously, jumping up and down, waving his arms frantically. "You're LOSING! Get up! Fight! Kill him! Kill Vegeta!"

Dabura rose from the crater, dirt trickling from his shoulders, meeting eyes with Vegeta who hovered just above the nearby, churning lake. "Where's all that confidence gone, Dabura?" he crooned sardonically. "You were so sure of yourself a moment ago, but now look at you!" He threw back his head, laughing tauntingly. "Perhaps you've now come to realise what you're truly up against."

"Indeed I have, Saiyan." Dabura replied, malice dripping from his tone, his teeth flashing in a grin. "Your abilities seem far less impressive than the first time we met. Have you grown soft in your old age?"

"Soft?!" Vegeta scoffed. "You have the nerve to question my power, mere moments before I smear you across the landscape in a thin paste? Ha! You're more foolish than I thought!"

"I've barely began to tap into my power, Vegeta." The ground trembled briefly, as Dabura allowed his power to briefly spike. "While yours... Seems a little stretched thin."

This was too much for Vegeta. His eyes widened in fury, at both the revelation and the comment, and his aura exploded brightly. "We'll see how thinly stretched my power is once I've blasted you into oblivion!" He screamed maniacally, suddenly charging into battle. He clobbered Dabura with a right hook, then zoomed after him, flipping over and planting his feet deep into Dabura's stomach. The Demon let out a pained gasp, spittle flying from his lips, as he zoomed to the ground. Vegeta, meanwhile, sped to the ground, touching down for a split second before shooting straight up, his fist drawn back, and through a Ki-lined uppercut into the King's spine.

Seizing Dabura's ankles, he spun rapidly, launching the King into the sea. "Time to die, Dabura!" he screeched, a vein ticking in his forehead as he spread his arms wide, gathering as much energy as he could. The wind howled, the waters churned, the earth cracked, and the skies darkened overhead.

Cale's eyes were wide and astonished at the sudden explosion of power. He knew what attack was going to follow, and knew that anyone in the immediate vicinity would be reduced to ash.

"Final... FLASH!"

"Move!" Cale spun rapidly, seizing Yamcha and Krillin and dragging them skyward, just as the colossal golden wave slammed into the waters.

The explosion that followed was immense, a giant mushroom cloud of smoke and water billowing into the skies. Down below, a pile of rubble shifted, and a thin yellow arm poked through the debris, Babidi's battered figure following soon after. "D... Dabura?" he croaked, panting for breath. "... Dabura?!"

"Your minion is no more, Wizard." Came Vegeta's snide voice from the clouds, and a moment later, the Price slowly descended, touching down a few feet away from Babidi. "And, now that your only protector is dead and gone-"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Vegeta." The Prince froze, a shocked gasp escaping him, and he swiftly turned towards the deep voice, the look of shock twisting into fury once more.

Through the smokey haze, Vegeta caught the outline of a tall, caped figure, striding towards them through the shroud. "No!" Vegeta growled in his mind, his fists clenching of their own accord. "I put everything I had into that blast! How can he still be alive?!" A sudden gust swept away the base of the pillar, revealing the Demon. Scuffs adorned his water-drenched form, but the smile on his face was enough to indicate that Vegeta's assault was in vain.

"And now, Saiyan... Now you realise just how pitifully weak you truly are." Dabura's cold, growling voice whispered across the battlefield, a light snicker passing from his fanged mouth. "I believe it's high time I put an end to our little game."

What unfolded next was almost too sickening to watch. From their vantage point on a nearby ridge, Cale, Krillin and Yamcha watched on as Dabura thrashed Vegeta up and down the broad swath of ground. Bone breaking punches, organ crushing kicks, sickening, jarring collisions... Dabura was putting on quite the show. "We... We can't just leave him out there alone... He's going to die if we don't step in..." Cale's slightly shaking voice broke the silence between the trio, while Vegeta's screams of agony echoed against the surrounding hills.

"But what can we do, Cale?" Krillin muttered, his brow furrowing. "If we attack Dabura, we'll be killed instantly."

"If we don't attack, we're going to die anyway. And I don't know about y'all, but I don't intend on dying, cowering behind a rock." Cale's voice found its strength, and he clenched a gloved fist, his knuckles cracking. "Besides, aside from Goku and my... My brother... Vegeta's the last Saiyan in the universe. I can't let my people die out, not while I can still fight..."

Down below, Vegeta fell to the ground, his eyes squeezed shut, a strangled groan slipping through clenched teeth. His body was battered and broken, his spirit crushed, yet even in this moment of unbearable pain, his mind still screamed its taunts at him. Slowly and laboriously rising to a knee, the Prince had a single, drily humorous thought. "At least the voices will stop when I'm dead..."

The Demon King appeared before him, the Prince's life blood staining his sleeves, his face twisted into a remorseless grin. "And so passes the Prince of Saiyans..." A red orb of energy zapped into life in his palm, twisting and elongating, materialising into a long, scimitar-like blade.

"Off with his head!" Babidi shrieked wildly, clapping and applauding his minion's work. "Off with his head! Off with his head!"

Dabura raised his blade, staring down into the Prince's pained glare. "Farewell, Vegeta..."

Vegeta closed his eyes once more, preparing for the end. But, a sudden energy whipped his senses, and the sound of steel on steel rang through the air. "Stand down, Dabura." a stern, emotionless voice cracked like a whip, and Vegeta's eyes opened wildly.

Standing before him, tall and lanky, golden hair fluttering in the breeze, aura sparkling and crackling, was Cale. The youth had his blade drawn, hilt grasped between two gloved hands, his teal eyes burning into Dabura's black oculars. "The fight's over. You face me now." Under the weight of his crippling agony and complete shock, the Prince was at a loss for words.

"Verily, you have skill with a sword, boy," the demon said icily, "but none have ever crossed blades with the King of the Demon Realm and lived to tell the tale."

"I will."

For a moment that spanned an eternity, the two warriors sized one another up; a silent struggle of wills, fought with a gaze. With a dark, sardonic chuckle, the King yielded, stepping back, his blade disappearing in a cloud of smoke. "You have courage, Saiyan. Not many dare to bandy words with Dabura. For your daring, I will spare you this day. And your beloved Prince."

"He's no Prince of mine. But you won't spill another drop of Saiyan blood... Not while I'm still breathing."

Dabura flashed his fangs. "I look forward to robbing you of both your breath and blood. Soon."

"Come, Dabura. These weaklings are no threat to us." Babidi. The puppeteer, pulling the strings of the demonic mannequin. The order to stand down had come from the Wizard; If Dabura had his way, Cale would be sliced to ribbons by now. "We'll be seeing you again soon, boys!" The Wizard cackled, climbing on to Dabura's back and clinging to his cape. "Don't forget to write!"

The duo sped off towards the horizon, once more becoming a malevolent red speck of light in the distance, and Cale let out a relieved breath through his teeth. Too close, he thought to himself, as his golden hair returned to its usual raven black, sliding his sword back into the scabbard over his shoulder.

By now, Krillin and Yamcha had returned to the battlefield, the former grinning from ear to ear, praising Cale's efforts, while the latter skulked and did his best to appear unimpressed and disdainful. Vegeta, his hair back to its usual parameters, had retreated away from the trio, limping heavily, wincing on every inward breath. Momentarily, his eyes met with Cale's.

"Need something?" he growled in reply to Cale's inquisitive glance.

"A thank you would be nice." The young Saiyan folded his arms waspishly, raising an eyebrow.

"Thank you?" Vegeta echoed. "What thanks do I owe you? I don't recall asking for your assistance, whelp."

Cale's mouth fell ajar. How the hell could Vegeta be so damned stubborn?! "Dabura was about to-"

"About to put himself in a position for me to take him down."

"... Are you really that stupid?!" Cale spat angrily, eyes narrowing maliciously. "He was about to separate your head from your shoulders, Vegeta, an infant could see that!"

A thousand snarling insults and threats rose to Vegeta's sneering mouth, his eyes twitching with anger at Cale's remark. The gall of him! How dare he speak to the Prince of Saiyans like he was a misbehaving child?! Vegeta had killed for less than that. He clenched his gloved fists, oblivious to the pain racking his body.

But, he realised, he was just too damned tired. Not battle weary, just... Tired. He could stand here and banter words with Cale all day, but the care factor just wasn't with him. The Prince's glare found Krillin, who hastily swallowed nervously and took half a step back. "Give me one of those wretched beans." he growled at the monk.

Krillin fumbled in his pockets for a moment, producing the smallest bean he could find and tossed it to the Prince, who deftly caught and ate it. He felt the strength returning to him as the bean worked its magic, his wounds healing and pain ebbing away.

"So what's the next move?" Krillin asked, turning to look at Cale.

"No doubt Babidi's here for the same reason we are." Cale answered, raking his gaze across the horizon. "He's after the Dragonballs, but I can't figure out what for."

"You can't?" Vegeta's tone, and his superior smirk, said that he himself thought it was obvious.

Cale ignored him. "We have to get them first. Whatever he's planning won't be pleasant." He put out his senses, scanning the area, and fixed his eyes on the mountains on the horizon. "There's a collection of energy signals coming from over there." He said to Krillin, pointing.

"Nameks." Krillin informed.

"They'll be able to tell us what's going on here. How many Dragonballs Babidi has so far. I think the two of us should go alone, Krillin. The Nameks would remember you from your first visit here."

"Hold on just a second." Yamcha finally spoke. "If you think I'm just gonna let you fly off alone with Krillin, you'd better think agai-"

"We haven't got time for this, Yamcha." said Krillin. "Things just got a lot more complicated. And Cale's plan is the best one."

Yamcha didn't like this at all, but he realised under the circumstances, they didn't have much of a choice. "Fine." he spat, folding his arms and stalking away from the duo towards the ship.

"Let's do this." Cale said with a nod, which Krillin returned, and they took to the skies, their aura trails receding into the distance.

Vegeta stared glumly around him. He knew exactly what Babidi wanted here, on Namek. He even knew why he struck here, instead of Earth. If those other fools were too blind to see, well, bad luck to them. They'd learn in time. Now, though, as he watched Yamcha's retreating form, he saw yet another golden opportunity. The Dragon Radar was still on board Cale's ship. And, if he was cunning enough, he also had a lackey to do his dirty work.

"Yamcha..." he called quietly, without his usual hateful tone. "We should talk..."


End file.
